CERTAIN IMPROVEMENTS IN MACHINERY FOR PREPARING, SPINNING, AND DOUBLING COTTON, WOOL, FLAX, AND SIMILAR FIBROUS MATERIALS
Year: 1845

page_text: wc,
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, WC, JAMES
HIGGINS, of Salford, in the County of Lancaster, Machine Maker, and
THOMAS SCHOFIELD WHITWORTH, Mechanic, also of Salford aforesaid, send
greeting.
WHEREAS Her present most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her
Royal Letters Patent under the Great Seal of Great Britain, bearing date at
Westminster, the Second day of April, in the eighth year of Iler reign, and
in the year of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and forty-five, did, for
Herself, Her heirs and successors, give and grant unto us, the said James
Higgins and Thomas Schofield Whitworth, Her especial license, full power,
sole privilege and authority, that we, the said James Higgins and Thomas
Schofield Whitworth, our executors, administrators, and assigns, and such
others as we. the said James Higgins and Thomas Schofield Whitworth, our
executors, administrators, or assigns, should at any time agree with, and no
others. from time to time and at all times during the term of years therein
expressed, should and lawfully might make, use, exercise, and vend, within
England and Wales, and the Town of Berwick-upon-Tweed, our Invention of
"CERTAIN IMPROVEMENTS IN MACHINERY FOR PREPARING, SPINNING, AND DOUBLING
COTTON, WOOL, FLAX, AND SIMILAR FIBROUS MATERIALS;" in which said Letters
Patent is contained a proviso obliging us, the said James Higgins and Thomas
Schofield Whitworth, by an instrument in writing under our hands and seals,
particularly to ascertain and describe the nature of the said Invention, and in
what manner the same is to be performed, and to cause the same to be
inrolled in Her Majesty's High Court of Chancery at Westminster within six
calendar months next and immediately after the date of the said Letters
A

page_text: Patent, as in and by the same, reference being thereunto had, will more fully
and at large appear.
NOW KNOW YE, that in compliance with the said proviso, we, the said
James Higgins and Thomas Schofield Whitworth, do hereby declare the
nature of our Certain Improvements in Machinery for Preparing, Spinning,
and Doubling Cotton, Wool, Flax, and similar Fibrous Material to consist
partly in a novel arrangement and construction of machinery forming what is
generally called a self-acting mule, together with various modifications of such
arrangements; secondly, a novel arrangement of the carding engine, by which
the actions or operation of such engines are rendered more perfect; thirdly, in
a novel arrangement of the flyers used in bobbin and fly frames; and the
manner in which such improvements are to be performed and carried into
effect will be seen by reference to the annexed Drawings, and the following
description thereof :-
The scale to which the Drawings are made is marked thereon, and the same
figures or letters of reference are used to indicate the same parts of the
machinery throughout the Drawings on any one sheet, while the direction
of motion of the various parts is, when required, indicated by small arrows.
The first series of our improvements are such as apply to the self-acting
mule, are represented on Sheets 1, 2, and 3 of the annexed Drawings, which
we shall now proceed to describe.
Sheet 1 represents a front view of a double self-acting mule, provided with
two sets of drawing rollers and two ranges of spindles, one on each side of the
machinery, the motion imparted to each set being derived from one and the
same source.
Figure 2 represents an end view of the spindles, at about the half way of
the stretch, the red lines shewing the position of the spindles at the commence-
ment and the termination or greatest distance of the stretch.
Figure 3 represents an end view of the headstock, as seen from the opposite
side of Figure 2.
Figure 4 represents a section of the hollow driving shaft, clutch boxes, and
their communicating rod, together with the winding-on apparatus.
Figure 5 represents a section of the mule at the opposite end to that where
the headstock is attached, shewing the connection from the faller wires, and
their appendages on one side of the machine to the faller wires on the other
side.
Figures 6, 7, and 8 are representatives of a lop at different stages of its
formation.
We shall now proceed to describe the general action of the machine, which

page_text: will be found to comprise.the movement of the spindles, the movement of the
drawing rollers, the moveinent of the carriage, the backing-off movement, the
movement of the faller wires, and the winding-on movement. A represents
the driving strap, partly upon the pully B, and partly upon the pully C.
The pulley B is made fast to the hollow shaft E, upon which is fastened the
tin cylinder D, from which the spindles F. and F are driven by means of
bands in the usual manner. Whilst this spinning is proceeding from the
pully B, the strap A is likewise giving motion to the pully C, which runs
loose upon the shaft E. Upon the boss of the pully C is fixed wheel marked
1, working into wheel 2 fixed fast to shaft G, which gives motion to wheel 3
running loose upon shaft. I through the clutch box H. Motion is then con-
veyed to wheel 4, which cominunicates motion on one side to wheels 5, 6,
and 7, which latter wheel 7 is fixed fast to the front roller of one side of the
machine, which is then made to revolve and to deliver out a sliver by the
motion of the wheels. The opposite set of drawing rollers are also driven from
the wheels 4, 8, and 9, which latter wheel is made fast to the front roller of the
opposite side of that set of drawing rollers, which is thus made to revolve and to
deliver out a sliver of the same length and at the same time as the front roller
attached to wheel No. 7. Upon the shaft G is fixed the wheel 10, which,
gearing into the stud wheel 11 through the wheel 12, communicates motion to
the wheel 13 fixed fast to the shaft I; and which wheels are so calculated as to
communicate one revolution to the shaft I, whilst the spindles proceed from
their nearest point to the drawing rollers to their greatest distance, and back
again to their nearest point, or one stretch and return of the spindles. Upon
the shaft I is attached the cam K. Pressing upon and in contact with the
outer surface of the cam K is the bowl L, attached to the lever M, vibrating
upon a fixed stud, as seen best in. dotted lines in Figure 3. Also pressing
upon the lever M is the bowl N, working upon its axis, fixed to the sliding
piece O, formed with two racks facing each other. These racks gear into
wheels 14 and 15, fixed on shafts P and Q, as seen in dotted lines at Fig. 3,
and these two shafts extend the whole length of the machine. Upon the
shafts P and Q are fixed the wheels 16 and 17, gearing into the circular racks
attached to the levers R and S, which levers vibrate separately on their
mutual axis, being a bearing of the tin cylinder C. Similar wheels to 16 and
17 are fixed on the shafts P and Q, at convenient distances in the length of
the frame, which wheels work respectively into similar toothed levers, as R and
S; all of which levers will vibrate upon the bearings of the cylinder D, example-
of which may be seen at Fig. 5. These toothed levers are braced together on'
each side respectively by the spindle rails T, T, and U, U', which rails are
0

page_text: parallel to the drawing rollers. In these rails are fixed the spindle E, F,
which receive their inotion, as before described, from the tin cylinder D.
When the spindles F and F are nearest to their respective drawing rollers,
which is when the levers R and S are at their greatest elevation, the cam K
has then depressed the bowl L in its farthest position from the centre of the
shaft J. As the revolution of the cam K proceeds, it allows the lever M, and
consequently bowl L, to be pressed nearer the centre of the shaft I by the weight
of the levers R and S, communicated through the wheels 16 and 17, and
through the shafts P and Q, by means of wheels 14 and 15, to the two racks
on the piece O. When the revolution of the cam K has proceeded so far as to
allow the bowl L to arrive in its nearest position to the centre of the sliaft I, the
spindles have then fallen to their greatest distance from their respective
drawing rollers. At this period the bowl L has come into contact with the
concentric part of the cam K, which thus arrests the farther upward move-
ment of the bowl L, and the lever R and S are prevented from falling. farther
from the drawing rollers. Whilst the concentric part d of the cam k is in
contact with, the bowl L, the backing off or uncoiling of the yarn from the
spindles is proceeding, and the levers R and S are at rest. The further
revolution of the cam K causes an incline upon it to press the bowl L, and
through the lever M to depress the sliding rack-piece by its action on the
friction bowl N, as seen at Fig. 3. This rack-piece O, working into the
wheels 14 and 15 fixed upon the shaft P and Q, communicates a reverse
movement through wheels 16 and 17 to the levers R and S, and elevates the
spindles to the nearest point to their respective rollers, completing the stretch
preparatory to a succeeding one; the cam K having then made one complete
revolution. Fixed on the shaft I is the cam V, best seen on Fig. 1. This
cam has three projections, marked V, V, and V. When the spindles have
nearly received the amount of force required to cause them to revolve and put
the twist desired into the yarn, they have then receded nearly to the greatest
distance from their respective drawing rollers. At this period the incline V
upon the cam V comes into operation upon the strap-guider W, and causes
the strap A to be moved from the pully B entirely on to pully C. Simulta-
neous with this movement the projection Ve comes into contact with the lever
X, and presses it upwards, as seen at Fig. 1 and 3. This lever X is attached
to a shaft a, at the other end of which is attached the lever X, as seen at
Figs. 1 and 3. Connected with this latter lever X is the spiral spring X³,
fastened at its other extremity to the lever X, placed loose on the shaft G.
The lever X has attached to it the lever X, brauching off in an opposite
direction, and made to act, when required, as a break upon the pully B. It

page_text: will be seen that when the projection V comes into contact with the lever X,
that pressure is communicated through the lever just mentioned and spring X³ on
to the pully B, and the amount of pressure can be regulated by the tightening
or slackening of the spring X. When the projection V2 is not in contact with
the lever X, no pressure is communicated to the lever X, which latter lever is
then kept off the pully. B by the counterbalancing weight of lever X. The use
of this break is to arrest the movement of the spindles after they have given the
amount of twist required to the yarn, and to prepare them for receiving a reverse
movement for backing off or uncoiling the spiral threads on the spindles, to allow
the fallers to come into the proper position, for guiding the thread whilst they
are wound on the spindles during the approach of the latter to the drawing
rollers, preparatory to making, another stretch. Whilst the projection v² is
thus acting on the break a, and almost immediately with it the projection v³
upon the cam V is made to press down the lever Y, which lever, working loose
upon a stud, is made to disengage the clutch box H, and thus arrest the movement
of the drawing rollers on both sides of the machine. Be it observed, that the
three movements last described as proceeding from cam V have been effected
just previous to the bowl L coming into contact with the concentric part of
the cam K. At this period of the revolution of the shaft I the lever, Z comes
into contact with the lever a, working loose on a stud b. It will be seen at
with a
Figure 3 that one arm of the lever a is toothed, and that it is in
wheel 29, best seen at Figs. 3 and 4, running loose on the shaft E.
to shewing the effect of the lever Z coming into contact with lever a, it may be
proper to shew how the clutch boxes d and e upon the shaft E, as seen in
the section on Figure 4, are acted upon through lever. f. This lever fis
attached to an upright rod g, on the top of which branches the bent lever
h. Lower down on the rod g. may be seen in dotted lines in Fig. 3
the spiral spring i made to act upon a projection of the rod.g. The lever
f is seen to clip the grooved piece k, and at its extremity to be held in
its position by two sliding pieces 7 and m,. attached to and placed at right
angles to the racked piece O. The grooved piece k is constructed by means
of a cotter and slot in the hollow shaft E, so as to revolve, along with the
shaft E, but to be capable of being moved sideways by the action of the lever f
The cotter which attaches the grooved piece k to the shaft E is made to pass
through the rod n, which rod has attached to its two extremities cotters.com-
nected with the catch boxes d and e. At the period of the revolution of the
cam K, when the bowl L is brought into contact with the concentric part
already mentioned, the racked, piece O has become elevated sufficiently high
to allow the lever f, through the action of the spiral spring i, to slip from
geer
Previous

page_text: under the projection or slide m in the direction of the small arrow (sec
Figure 1), and so to bring the clutch box d into geer through its connection
with the rod neby means of the grooved piece k. It will be understood,
therefore, that the clutch box d has, by the means just described, got into
geer with the wheel. 29 at the time of the lever Z coming into contact with
the lever a, and the effect produced is to cause the wheel 29 to move round on
its axis; and communicate motion to the shaft E in a reverse direction to the
one it had whilst the spindles were twisting, and thus through the tin
cylinder D acting upon both rows of spindles to cause them to back off and
uncoil the amount of yarn required. Upon the clutch box d, and boss of
the wheel 29, may be seen in Figure 3 and 4 the wheel 18 working into
geer with the toothed lever o vibrating loose on the faller rod P', to which lever
is attached the apparatus for governing the required variable motion of the
faller wires, the mode of doing which is hereafter described. It must be sup
posed now that the backing off is accomplished, and the faller wires set in a
position preparatory to the winding-on of the twisted yarn to the spindles
during their approach to the rollers; at this period of the revolution of the
shaft I the lever g fixed to tho'shaft I, see Figure 1, comes into contact with
the-bent lever h, and thus through shaft g vibrates the lever f, which througli
the connecting parts K acting upon rod n disengages: the clutch box d, and
forces into geer (at the opposite extremity of rod in) the clutch box e, and
and so brings the winding-on apparatus into action. The leverf will, during
the operation, be vibrated to the point marked at the one side of the.
jection or slide 7, seen on Figure 1, and is held there whilst the falling of the
rack O carries the projecting side piece into contact with it, which during
the approach of the spindles to the rollers retains it in that position, and,
consequently, keeps the clutch box e in geer.
pro-
We shall now describe how the winding on is effected, and the mode
which we adopt to vary the speed of the spindles during the different
stages of the formation of the cop, as well as during the different parts
of the stretch required by the decreasing diameter of the part to be, wound
on as the spindles approach the rollers.. Working loose upon a bearing
of, the shaft. E, seen in Figures 1 and 2, and in section at Figure 4, is
the wheel 19, working in gear with wheel 10; attached to wheel 19 is
wheel 20, geering into wheel 21, fastened on a small shaft, at the other
end of which is fixed the wheel 22, which latter wheel geers into wheel
23, which is attached to part of the clutch box e, and when this clutch
box e is not in gear, runs freely on the shaft E. The small shaft which
connects the wheels 21 and 22 (see Fig. 1) is supported by a vibrating

page_text: lever, the fulcrum of which is the boss of the wheel 19, upon which it
vibrates freely. On one arm of this lever r, as best seen in Figure 2, is a
slot radiating from the centre on which the lever vibrates; this lever is
acted upon by a projection from the nut s, supported upon the screw t, by
This screw is
which its position may be varied as hereafter described.
supported by projections fixed or cast upon the wheel 24, which wheel geers
into wheel 25. It may be observed, that whatever is the speed given to the
driving wheel 25, we arrange the proportion of the wheels 24 and 25 in such
a manner that the driven wheel 24, to which is attached the projection upon
nuts acting upon lever », shall not revolve more than one fourth part of a
revolution. The wheel 25 is fixed, and receives its motion from the shaft Q,
and the wheel 24 vibrates free on the shaft P. On the lower extremity of the
screw t is fixed a small bevil wheel 26 (see Figure 1), working into a similar
bevil wheel 27. Upon the boss of the wheel 27 is fastened the ratchet
wheel 28, which two wheels 27 and 28 run loose upon a stud attached upon
the wheel 24. Vibrating upon this stud is the lever u', one arm of which has
a slot in it radiating from the centre of the stud upon which it vibrates, the
other arm of which has attached to it a small dog or catch, acting upon
wheel 28, fixed in the slot of an arm of the lever. U is a small stud upon
which a rod v vibrates, one end of which rod swivels upon a stud fixed to
the framing, as seen in Figure 2. It will be noticed that the shaft Q, in
consequence of its connection to the lever S, receives a backward and forward
motion during the movement of the spindles to and from the rollers, and as
the wheel 25 is keyed upon it communicates an oscillating movement to the
5 wheel 24, the screw nut, bevil wheels, catch wheels, and appendages. When
the spindles begin their inward traverse towards the rollers, the relative
position of the screw t, and slot of the lever r, are in their nearest approach
to a straight line, and the levers vand u likewise approach nearest to the
same, the oscillation of the wheel 24 causes the stud attached to screw t to
0 move gradually in the slot of the lever 7, from a point at a distance from the
centre upon which the lever vibrates, to its greatest distance from such
centre. When the stud s upon the screw t has received its greatest amount
of oscillation, and become farthest from the centre of lever r, the two levers v
and have become distended to their greatest angle with each other, and
5 upon the return to the position they departed from, the dog upon the lever
has then gathered one or more teeth upon the ratchet wheel 28, and thus,
through the bevils 26 and 27, communicates motion to the screw t, which causes
We shall
the studs to get into a position nearer to the centre of the lever .
now suppose that we have to wind the yarn upon the bare spindle, and at this

page_text: period of forming, the cap, we arrange that the studs upon the screw t is
brought into the centre of the wheel 24, and it will easily be perceived that
when the studs is in this position, that the oscillation of wheel 24 can merely
have the effect of turning the studs round the centre of wheel 24, in the slot
of the lever, but could not cause that lever to vibrate. In this position the
wheels 19, 20, 21, 22, and 23, are arranged in such proportions with respect
to the driving wheel 10, that the latter wheel is enabled to communicate
sufficient motion to the wheel 23, and thus by the catch box e to cylinder D,
and so on to the spindles on both sides of the machine, that they shall revolve
at that speed which is necessary for them to wind up the yarn during their
approach to the roller. The direction of rotation of the wheel 19 when in
work, is indicated by the arrow shewn in Figure 2, when the lever is held
stationary, which, as stated before, is when the studs is in the centre of
wheel 24. The wheel 21 revolves along with the shaft on which it is
fixed merely on its axis, and communicates the movement it receives from
wheel 20 without any diminishing; but it will be readily understood, that if
the axis of the wheel 21 does not remain in a stationary position, but moves
in a circle round the centre of the wheel 20, in the same direction and at the
same speed, no motion of the wheel 21 round its axis could be communicated.
Now, the construction of the cop consists of a series of cones placed on each
other, varying in size till they arrive at the form seen at Figure 7; which is
called the cop bottom. At the commencement of each winding on, the
faller wires guides the threads on the base or bottom part of the conc,
and gradually rise towards the point of the spindle or apex of the cone, so
that the spindles require to move at a gradually increasing speed as they
approach the drawing rollers. To effect this varying speed of the spindles
or winding-on movement, the studs is caused to move up the screw-t (by
the apparatus before described) and to approach nearer to the centre of the
lever r, so that the stud s, by its increased distance from the centre round
which it revolves, describes a segment of a circle, and commences that seg-
ment at a point near the fulcrum of the lever r, and thus causes a less amount
of movement of the wheels 21 in the direction of the arrow as it increases
its distance from the centre on which the lever vibrates. The varying move-
ment of the stud s, upon the screw t, continues until the cop has attained its
greatest thickness, as seen at Figure 7, after which the proportion of the concs
made by each successive layer of thread wound on the cop, remains the same,
and consequently no further change is required to be made in the position of
the stud s.
At this period the studs comes into contact with the small lever
U, see Fig. 2, which is so arranged to lift the dog or catch on the lever Uº, so

page_text: that it ceases to gather teeth upon the ratchet wheel 28, and thus the further
movement of the stud s upon the screw t is. arrested. The conical layers of
yarn are then formed uniform and alike until the completion of the cop, as
seen at Figure 6. On recommencing to spin a fresh set of cops, the studs is
run down the screw on which it is placed till it is concentric with the wheel
24, in which position, as has been explained, it causes no vibration to the lever 1,
and the machine is in a position to recommence winding on the bare spindle.
We have thus shewn how the yarn is wound upon the spindles during their
approach to the rollers, and as soon as the spindles are arrived up at the front
roller, the farther revolution of the incline V, upon the cam V, will have
caused an indentation to come up opposite the strap guider W, so as to allow
the spring to act upon the lever W, and bring the strap a back again on
the pully B preparatory to commencing another stretch. Simultaneous with
this, an indentation in the incline V³ comes opposite to the lever Y, and brings
the clutch box H into gear with wheel 3, and thus motion is again communi-.
cated to the rollers. At the same, time that this latter operation has taken
place, the rack piece O has been depressed so far as to allow the lever f to
pass over the slide 1, and rest against the slide m by the action of the
spring, the leverf then being in the position to retain both catch boxes d
and e out of gear, and the machine is ready to allow the succeeding stretch
to be commenced. During the inward traverse of the spindles, and the wind-
ing on of the yarn, which proceeds at the same time, the faller movement for
distributing the yarn in the conical form must proceed also, which movement
we shall now proceed to describe.
We shall now begin to describe the mode of working and regulating
the movement of the faller wires, for the purpose of forming the cop.
We have before described how motion is given from the lever Z, on
shaft I, through the lever a, and wheels 29 and 18, to the toothed lever o.
This lever o is seen best in Sheet 2, in Figures 1, 4, and 5, and it vibrates
free on the faller rod P¹, on which is fixed the part A', which supports
a screw B¹ in a position radiating from the centre of faller rod P. A branch
from the part A¹ supports the guiding faller B', which vibrates upon a stud
fixed at the extremity of that branch of A°. Upon the screw B₁ is attached
the nut or sliding piece C. .Projecting from this nut C, and being a part of it,
is a stud, upon which revolves freely the two bowles C and C, seen in
Figures 1 and 2. This projecting part from the nut C works in the inclined
slot marked D, on the piece O, seen in Figures 1 and 5, which is thus made to
put the piece A' in connection with the,vibrating lever o, so that when the
toothed part of the lever o is raised for the purpose of depressing the faller B³,

page_text: the inclined part in lever o, marked D, presses upon the stud projecting from
nut C, and carries along with it the lever A', and thus depresses the faller B;
also upon the projecting stud of nut C, an incline upon the part O may be
scen'in Fig. 5, Sheet 2, marked E, and upon it may also be seen in the same
Figure, in dotted lines, the bowl marked C, revolving upon the stud project-
ing from nut C, and pressing upon the incline E; upon the same projecting
stud may be seen, in Figure 1, the bowl C. This bowl moves in the inclined
slot E of the toothed lever F. This toothed lever F vibrates free on the
axis of the ratchet wheel 1, and geers into the lever F 2, which latter lever
works free on the faller rod P¹; an inclined slot F3 in the lever I clips or a
hollow projection F of the sliding piece F, which projecting part is fastened
to it by a nut, and passes through the sliding piece F', as well as through the
piece O, at right angles, as may be seen in Figure 2 and 3 attached to the
projecting piece F. On the opposite side of the piece O, to that where
the lever F works, is fixed the upright support F of the lever F. Resting
upon the lever F is the spring F, attached to- the support F, and by the
pressure of this spring F, the vibrating lever is made to act upon a sliding
pin marked F, through a slot cut on the projection F, as well as through the
sliding pin F, as seen on dotted lines in Figures 2 and 3. This pressure
upon the sliding pin Fo is constant, and causes the sliding pin Fo always to
protrude out of the projection F, when not retained in it by the means here-
after described. Be it understood that the vibrating lever 1, and its support
Fo, attached to the hollow projection F, with its sliding pin F, all move toge-
ther with the slides F, when required. The ratchet wheel 1 is attached to a
small worm shaft G, supported on the piece A', as seen best in Figure 2. On
worm shaft G may also be seen, in Figure 2, the worm G', working into the
wheel G. Fixed on the screw B', working loose on worm shaft G, will be
seen best in Figure 1 the small lever H, which has attached to it the dog or
catch H, acting upon the ratchet wheel 1. A projection from the lever H is
made to act upon an incline fixed on the toothed lever marked S, in Sheet 1,
and causes one or more teeth to be gathered in the ratchet wheel I, at every
vibration of the part A', whilst the spindles are winding on the yarn during
their approach to the rollers, and so, by giving motion to the screw B¹, which
screw is best seen in Figure 4, to vary the position of the nut C on it.
Having described so far the nature of our copping apparatus, and as it will s
be understood that at every stretch the faller wire will be required to move a
less distance down the spindle, in order to build the cop, we shall proceed to
describe how we make that variation on the fallers. We have before shewn
how the catch El' moves the ratchet wheel 1, and thus conveys motion to the

page_text: also seen in
nut C, by means of the screw B', in the direction of the centre of faller rod P¹.
This movement of the nut C, first in commencing to form the cop on the bare
spindle, causes the bowl C¹ to depress the lever F, by means of its action on
the inclined part E. This depressure of the lever F', by being in gcer with
lever F, causes the inclined slot F to draw in, towards the centre of P¹, the
sliding pin F and its appendages. Upon the framing, as seen in Figure 3,
Sheet 1, may be seen the fixed stud, with bowl marked b,
Figure 3, Sheet 2, marked I, in contact with the shaper I'. This shaper
vibrates upon the centre of a small rod supported on the toothed lever
marked S, in the Sheet I. To this rod, on the other side of lever S, is seen
in dotted lines, in Figure 3, Sheet I., the segmental lever marked b', and
marked I, on Figure 3, Sheet 2. Now, it must be observed, that the weight
of the segmental lever 1 is such as to cause the shaper I always to bear
against the fixed stud I; and we place the centre of the rod, to which the
shaper is fixed, on toothed lever S, in Figure 3, Sheet 1, in such a position
with regard to the fixed stud I, in Figure 3, Sheet 2, that a certain amount
of vibration shall be given to the segmental lever I during the elevation of
the toothed lever S, when raising the spindles to their respective rollers.
When the backing-off lever Z, in Sheet 1, has, by the means already
described, brought the toothed vibrating lever O, Sheet 1, to such a height as
to bring the sliding-pin F, Sheet 2, above the lever I, that pin is held by
the lever F', through the action of spring F, on to the top side of the seg-
mental lever I, and thus arrests the motion of the lever O, which would be
otherwise carried down to the position it had previous to backing off by
the weight attached to the lever A, Sheet 1, as the toothed lever S, Sheet 1,
becomes elevated. Toward the rollers the vibration of the segmental lever 1,
Sheet 2, allows the lever O to vibrate with it, and so communicate on the
other side of its fulcrum a corresponding motion to the faller wire. This
motion is sufficient to form the length of the early series of cones which are
wound on the spindles at the commencement. It will be seen that the
amount of vibration of the lever O will be dependent on the distance which
the sliding pin F presses from the centre upon which the segmental
lever vibrates; and as the length of cones wound on the cop, until it
attains the full diameter, as shewn in Sheet 1, Figure 7, gradually increases
from the bare spindle, it will be seen that the required varying move-
ment of the faller wire to produce those different lengths may be accom-
plished by varying the distance from the centre of the segmental lever
I where the sliding pin F presses upon it at every stretch. The mode of
doing this is by causing the bowl C, in nut C, to be forced upon the lever F

page_text: by every succeeding tooth, that the catches forces ratchet wheel 1 round, and
which lever F through lever F brings the sliding pin in F a greater distance
from the centre of the segmental lever I than the sliding pin had at the
previous stretch. This varying movement continues until the thickness of
the cop is formed. Whilst the bowl C has been performing the work apper-
taining to it, the larger bowl C2 has been depressing the inclined part marked
E, on the vibrating lever. O, so as slightly to elevate the toothed part of that
lever, and so to diminish, by means afterwards described, the amount of the
backing off while the cop is attaining its greatest thickness, after which the
bowl C moves in a slot made in F' as to give no more action to that lever.
At this time the bowl C, which has been slightly. depressing incline E, comes
into full operation upon the incline E of the vibrating lever O, its action is
increased to the full extent, and decreases the amount of backing off in an
equal ratio; at every stretch the action of the bowl C is to be pressed upon
the incline E by every tooth that the catch forces on the ratchet wheel 1
round, and this pressure has the effect of depressing the incline E, and
causing by the vibration of the lever O on its fulcrum P₁ a corresponding
elevation (according to the difference of leverage) of the toothed part of the
lever O. This varying amount of elevation causes the lever a, Sheet 1,
through the wheels, 18 and 29, Sheet 1, to recede in such a manner as to
receive a less amount of movement, at cach revolution. of the lever Z, and
consequently the faller wires are at every succeeding stretch depressed in a
less degree, so that the amount of yarn wound on the spindles is put in
successive layers until the cop is completed. It will be seen thus that the
backing off and the movement of the fallers emanate from the same source,
and that as the faller motion is diminished, so is the backing off in a corre
sponding ratio, which is what is required. The mode in which the sliding
pin Fo is disengaged from its pressure upon the upper side of the segmental
lever I is by causing the vibrating lever F to come into contact with an
incline, seen in Figure 1, Sheet 1, which incline forces it sideways, to such
a degree. as to bring the sliding.pin F° out of contact with the upper side of
the segmental lever 1, and thus as the action of the weight attached, to
lever.a, Sheet 1, is no longer arrested, it communicates the whole amount of
its force to the vibrating lever, O, and so by depressing, the toothed part of
that lever to its greatest distance communicates a corresponding motion on
the other side of its fulcrum, and elevates the faller wires out of contact with
the yarn. On the opposite side of the machine to that where the headstock
is attached, may be seen in Figure 5, Sheet 1, the lever S' and R', similar
to lever R and S, working inside of the framing and supporting respectively
.

page_text: an end of the faller rod P¹ and P, on which arc fixed fast the levers
01 and 0. This lever O being attached fast upon the faller rod P¹ vibrates
along with it when it receives the motion which has just been described. It
will be scen, in reference to Figure 5, Sheet 1, that the lever O2 is toothed
at its extremity, which teeth geer into the wheel 30, running loose upon
bearing of the tin cylinder D. This wheel 30, by means of the carrier 31,
working loose on a stud projecting from the lever R¹, gives motion to the
lever O, and communication is by this means made from the faller rod P¹; on
one side of the machine, to the faller rod P, on the other side; and as the
levers O and O are the same length from their respective centres, it will
be obvious that the exact amount of vibration which the lever O receives
by its connection to the faller rod P¹ will be communicated to faller rod P³,
and thus the guiding faller wires on both sides of the machine are governed
by the same copping apparatus.
Great inconvenience is found to result from the position, in which the
two faller rods are placed in the common self-acting mules, partly from
their shape causing a difficulty to arise in removing them out of the
way, to allow the spindles to come as near to the drawing roller as they
would otherwise do, and partly from the inconvenience they create to the
workers whilst piecing the broken thread, when the spindles are near to the
rollers, and when they are the greatest distance from the same, that the
worker can reach to piece such broken threads; and our improved mode of
regulating the position of the faller wires whilst copping is adopted to
prevent those evils, and we shall now proceed to describe our method of so
doing. Upon an arm of the lever O2 is supported the stud a', upon which
works free the faller a, to which is attached the wire fixed at the other end
of the mule to fallers in Figures 1, 2, 3, Sheet 1. One arm of the faller a²
is made in shape of a quadrant, attached by two chains to a quadrant a³
fixed fast to a small rod a vibrating upon supports from the faller rod P¹; this
rod a extends the length of the machine, and is a means of communication
between the faller a to all the fallers on the same side of the machine as
faller a. Now, although it is the movement of the faller rod P¹ which governs
the copping motion of all the fallers together, it is by the action of the faller
a through the connecting links of rod a' that a movement upon their respec-
tive axes is given to each of the fallers on the same side as faller a². In addition
to the movement given by faller rod P¹, another arm of the faller a² is seen to
extend below the stud upon which it is supported, see Figure 5, Sheet 1. From
this arm of the lever à is a projection a, resting in an identation of the.
inclined piece a°; attached to the quadrant a is fixed one end of the spiral

page_text: L
spring a', made fast at the other end to a branch of the lever o. The spring a
through the connection of the quadrant a³, is made to press the projection a
upon faller a into the identation of the inclined piece a shewn in Figure 5,
Shect 1. Be it observed that the fallers a are held in this position whilst
the spindles are twisting, and all the fallers on the same side as faller a are
held in a similar position with regard to the yarn by means of the connecting
rod a. It must be understood that whilst the spindles are twisting, that
both the guiding faller wire a and the counter faller wire are both under-
neath the threads, but the stud upon which the faller a vibrates is on one
side of the spindle F, whilst the rod upon which the counter faller is
fixed, is placed on to the other side of the spindle, and close to the bolster of
the spindles F, as seen in Figure 5, Sheet 1. When the motion of the
faller rod P¹ commences to depress the fallers preparatory to the yarn being
wound on during the approach of the spindles to the rollers, the downward
motion of the stud a', which, as before stated, is attached on a branch of the
lever, fixed on the faller rod P¹, causes projection a' on the faller, a to move
and slip down the inclined piece a; this motion round the inclined piece a
causes the faller a² to vibrate upon its axis, and bring the faller wire over the
front of the spindles F, to such a distance as 'during the depression of the
stud a by the action of P¹, to keep the faller wire clear of the cop which is
being formed on the spindles. The fallers which are placed upon the same
sides 'respectively as faller a-and the fallers d and d, are made to pass
between the spaces of the spindles at convenient distances. The use of the
spiral spring a is to keep the projection as on faller a against the inclined
pieces a' so that no unsteady motion can be caused on the faller a², but that
the vibration of that faller shall be regulated by the shape of the inclined
piece a. On the faller rod P¹ commencing its movement, it allows the chain
6, which is connected to two pullies (as seen at Figure 5), and permits the
spring to vibrate the counter faller wire 6 over the top of the spindles F,
and carry the threads along with it, pressing on them with an amount of s
force due to the power of the spring . The action of the two faller, wire is
thus shewn, and it will be perceived that the threads are guided by faller a² in
such a manner that they are wound, as sliewn in red lines at Fig. 5, on the
front or opposite side of the spindles opposite to that which is the practice in
all mules hitherto made; it will be understood therefore that the threads are 3
guided in front of the spindles, whilst they are winding on the yarn during the
approach to the rollers, and when all the stretch of yarn is wound on, the
faller wire has been raised by the action of P₁ already described near to the
point of the spindle, and the projection a has come opposite the indented part

page_text: of the inclined piece a 6, and the action of the spring a forces the projection a³
into that indentation which vibrates the faller a, and brings the guiding faller
wire over the front of the spindle F to the position it had before commencing
to wind on, which position is shewn on Figure 5, Sheet 1. When the spindles
have almost approached their nearest point to the rollers, the lever b, fastened
to the counter faller rod b', comes into contact with the projecting incline ³,
fastened to the roller beam. The effect is to depress the lever 6%, and cause
the counter faller rod to bring the counter faller wire into the position it had
previous to the winding on the yarn on to the spindles. A similar arrangement
of machinery causes the guiding faller d', and the counter faller d' on the
opposite side of the machine, to move at the same time, and perform the same
operations as the guiding fallers a³ and the counter faller 6, through the con-
nection of the faller rod P¹ with the faller rod P by the means described.
The irregularities, or the amount of yarn uncoiled from the spindle during the
backing off, arising from variations in the speed of the motive power, or from
other causes, has the effect of making the yarn tighter or slacker in different
stretches during the winding on of the yarn to the spindle; and as the changes of
winding-on motion are positive, we have found it useful to adapt an adjusting
apparatus, put into operation by the action of the counter faller, which we shall
now proceed to describe. We may say in explanation, but we have thought it
best to describe our machine, as delineated in Sheet 1, as working independent
of any such apparatus, to render it more easy of being understood.
Figure 7, in Sheet 2, represents the counter faller, supported on the toother
lever S, working loose upon the end of the counter faller, and nearest the
headstock is the toothed quadrant 32, gearing into the bevel wheel 33, fixed
on shaft 34, which, at its other extremity, has a screw working into a nut 35,
attached to the support on which the shaft connecting the segmental lever
with the shaper vibrates. It must be observed that this support, which is
represented as being fixed to the toothed lever S in the machine described on
Sheet 1, is made loose when this adjusting apparatus is applied, and is caused
to slide upon the toothed lever S, by the action of the screw upon nut 35,
nearer and farther from the centre of the faller P₁ by the means about to be
described. It will be recollected that one of the movement of the faller wires
is regulated by the distance which the sliding pin attached to F' presses upon the
segmental lever from the centre upon which it and the shaper vibrate. Now in
this apparatus we suppose that when the machine is working correctly, that the
centre upon which the segmental lever vibrates is always at a certain distance
from the centre of the faller rod P¹. It will be apparent, that if the centre of
the segmental lever is worked nearer or farther from the centre of the

page_text: faller P, that an alteration of the movement of the faller wires is given to
that amount equally in that mode as is the case when we vary the point
of contact of the sliding pin on the segmental lever. A pin projecting from the
counter faller, seen in Figure 7, works in a circular slot in the quadrant 32,
which slot is of that extent as to allow the counter faller to vibrate to that
distance upon its centre which it requires to do when the length of the thread
to be wound is correct; but that if the breaking off, or any other cause, makes
the yarn too slack or too tight, and that if the pin in the counter faller should
require to move in the slot of the quadrant 32, in one direction or the other,
to a greater extent than the slot would allow it, the pressure of the pin upon
the quadrant 32 would cause it to vibrate the latter, and move the bevil
wheel 33, and, by means of the shaft 34, working the screw in the nut 35, so
as to vary the position of the centre of the segmental lever, as well as that of
the shaper. This variation of the centre causes the faller wires to dwell more
or less time upon the thickest part of the cop, and by so doing the spindle
would be able to wind more or less during the same amount of its revolutions.
We shall now proceed to describe some of the modifications, as seen in
Sheet 3, in the constructions of double self-acting mules, to which our im-
provements may be applied.
Figure 1 represents an end view of a double self-acting mule, wherein two
sets of drawing rollers are seen, and two sets of spindles to correspond. It
will be observed that one set of drawing rollers, and one set of spindles, vibrate
upon a lever, the fulcrum of which is a bearing of the driving shaft axle of the
machine, and the other set of drawing rollers are in a stationary position, as
well as the other row of spindles. Figure 2 represents an elevation or front
view of Figure 1. Figure 3 is another modification of a double self-acting
mule, where there are likewise two sets of drawing rollers represented as being
drawn up on slides fixed to the machine in an oblique direction by endless
chains, whilst the two corresponding sets of spindles are in a stationary position.
Figure 4 represents another modification of a double self-acting mule, where
the two sets of drawing rollers are in a stationary position, whilst their two
corresponding sets of spindles are made to slide in an oblique direction to their
respective rollers, in the same manner as the rollers are represented as being
traversed in Figure 3.
We shall now, in the machine represented in Figures 1 and 2, describe those
deviations from the construction of the machine we have represented in
Sheet 1, which are the characteristics of the modification abont to be shown
A represents the strap guider in a position to guide a strap giving movement
to the machine on the pulley F, which runs loose on a hollow driving shaft C,

page_text: in which is fixed the tin cylinders D, D', connected by bands to the spindles
E, E, in a similar manner to the machine delineated in Sheet 1.
Likewise
on the hollow driving shaft C is keyed fast the pulley B, on which, whilst the
machine is forming the stretch, the strap is guided by the guider A, so as to
be partly on pulley B, and partly on pulley F. Fixed on the boss of pulley F
is wheel 1, geering into stud wheel 2, to which is attached the wheel 3,
gearing into wheel 4, keyed on the shaft G, upon which it revolves. The wheel 4
geers into wheel 5, running loose on its axis, and communicates motion to
wheel 6, which latter wheel is attached to shaft H in such a manner that it gives
motion to the shaft, but is so arranged that it can be moved sideways along
the shaft H, when required. This series of wheels from the pulley F is so
arranged as to communicate one revolution to the shaft H during the forma-
tion of the stretch and the winding up of the yarn upon the spindle. On the
shaft is fixed, at one extremity, the crank I. The pin K of the crank I
works in a slot of the segmental level L, and which vibrates free on the
shaft G. A slot in the level L is made concentric with its axis, through which
the driving shaft C passes, and is sufficiently extensive to admit the lever L
to vibrate the extent it is required, without coming into contact with the
driving shaft C, as seen in Figure 1. On the lower extremity of the level
L are made the teeth seen in Fig. 1 gearing into wheel 7, attached to
shaft M, which shaft extends the whole length of the machine. Upon this
shaft is seen, in Fig. 1 and 2, the wheel 8 gearing into the toothed part of the
lever N. In one of the extremities of the lever N is seen the spindle E',
which is worked to and from the stationary placed drawing rollers O', and on the
other extremity of lever N is fixed the other set of drawing rollers O', which
are made to approach and recede from the stationary placed spindles E at the
same time, and moving through the same distance as the spindle E' does
during its traverse to and from the rollers O. This vibrating movement of
the lever N is caused by the action of the crank I upon the lever L, which is
moved to and fro at every revolution of the crank I. Similar levers to N are
placed at convenient distances in the length of the machine, all of which
receive a similar vibration by being acted upon by similar wheels as that
marked 8, fixed on shaft M, which levers are all supported by bearings of the
cylinders D, D'. It will be recollected that the levers on both sides of the
driving shaft, forming the arms R and S in machine delineated in Sheet 1,
are separate and distinct; but it will be observed, in this modification we are
now describing, that the lever N is one piece, having branches on both sides
of the driving shaft C. This is the characteristic modification, as by this
arrangement the weight of the rollers on one side is made to balance and
B

page_text: counterpoise the weight of the spindles on the other side of the lever N. An
arrangement is made to avoid the necessity of carrying the creel P along with
the rollers O', which is done by the means of a jointed lever P', one end of
which is attached to creel P, and the other end to the stand of drawing
rollers O'. This jointed lever supports a wire at its flexible joint, which wire
extends the length of the machine to a similar jointed lever at the opposite
extremity of the machine. The covings, as they proceed from the bobbins of
the drawing rollers, pass over this wire, as seen in Figure 1; and, as the
rollers O approach the creel, the jointed lever closes, and raises the rovings by
the wire attached is it, so as to keep them extended and free from damage.
On one extremity of the shaft G is fixed the wheel 9, gearing into wheel 10,
running loose on the driving shaft C. The wheel 10 gears into wheel 11,
which acts only as a carrier to wheel 12, as seen in Fig. 1, and so motion is
conveyed to the drawing rollers O. The wheel 10 likewise gears into wheel 13,
and through carrier wheel 14 into wheel 15, fixed on the drawing rollers O¹,
and so motion is conveyed to them at the same speed as the roller O, and
which motion of the two sets of rollers is regulated alike, and by the same
means. It is proper to observe that the wheel 11 is fixed to the framing,
whilst the wheels 13 and 14 are supported in studs fixed to the lever N, and
move along with it. The movement of the roller O is arrested by an incline
fixed on the segmental lever L, acting when made so to do in a lever Q,
which disengages a clutch box on the front roller O, and movement of the
roller O is arrested by means of a lever Q, fixed on lever N, coming into con-
tact with an incline fixed on the framing, by which means a clutch box on
roller O¹ is disengaged, and the movement of the roller arrested. A wheel,
similar to 8, and likewise fixed to the shaft M, is seen in Fig. 2, marked 8',
working into another vibrating lever N'; the wheel S' has projecting from it a
stud R', which, at every oscillation of shaft M, comes into contact with the
lever R fixed on shaft R, which latter shaft has attached to it the lever or
catch R. The lever R is vibrated by the contact of stud R' upon shaft Rs,
and causes it to set free the parts, which is constantly pressed in a direction
round its axis by the spring S. It must be understood that the wheel 1, on
pulley F, works into wheel 16, working loose on a stud fixed to the framing.
On the boss of the wheel 16 is fixed a friction pulley S, running in an indenta-
tion made on the pulley S3; when the action of spring S forces the part S round
its centre (and as the pulley S³ is connected to S) it is likewise forced round its
axis to such an extent as to bring into contact with the pulley S the circular
part of pulley S³, and thus the pulley S receives motion from the pulley S, and
shifts the strap guide a through the inclined slot on part S wholly from the

page_text: pulley B, and partly on to pully T. This pulley T also runs loose on the boss
of pulley F, and has attached on its boss a wheel 17, which gears into wheel 19
running loose on shaft G, on the boss of which it is fixed. The wheel 19 gears
into wheel 20, fixed on shaft C, and this train of wheels is arranged to give
motion to the spindles at an increased speed, for the purpose of saving time in
putting the large amount of twist on to the yarn which is required by threads of
considerable fineness, and constitutes what is technically called the "double
speed." A cam U, attached to the part S, and which revolves along with it at the
time of the change last mentioned, acts upon the lever U' and elevates the lever U
-and slides the wheel 6 out of gear with wheel 5 and into gear with wheel 21, which
is retained in gear by the action of a pin forced by a spring under U. This
latter wheel is fixed fast to the shaft on which the wheels 5 revolves; also
attached to this shaft is the wheel 22, gearing into and receiving motion from
wheel 22; this latter wheel is fixed on shaft G. The wheels 23 and 22 are so
calculated that upon the wheel 6 being brought into gear with whicel 21, that
a considerable diminution of speed is given to wheel 6, and this is made for
the purpose of giving a slower amount of vibration to the lever L whilst
performing that part of the stretch technically called the "second draw."
When the spindles on one side of the machine, and drawing rollers on the
other, have vibrated to their greatest distance, the further revolution of the
wheel 8' causes the stud v to draw the pin from under lever U, and by the power
of the spring V upon leverU' draws the wheel 6 out of gear with wheel 21, and
midway between the wheels 21 and 5, and which wheel 6 remains in this
position, giving no more vibration to the lever L, whilst the remaining twist
put in at the head has to be performed. This amount of twist is regulated by
the twist wheel W, which is worked by the worm W₁ fixed on to the boss of
,wheel 18. When the twist wheel has received its required amount of rotation,
a projecting stud attached to it, acting upon the lever W³, vibrates the lever W+
fixed on a shaft R³, and moves the lever R' again from under another projec-
tion of part S, which, on being acted upon again by the spring S', through the
.means before described, effect another movement of the part S, and by means
of the inclined slot seen in it moves the strap guide A from pulley T entirely
on to the pulley F for the purpose of arresting the twisting process, and pro-
ceeding with the movement of backing off' or winding on, and guiding the faller
wires. Simultaneous with the movement of the strap guide A, the cam U acts
upon the lever W 5, and forces a grooved piece We (similar to the part K in
Sheet 1), and forces, by means of a connecting rod in the hollow shaft C, the
friction clutch box W into contact with cylinder 1); and as the wheel 10 runs
in a reverse direction to that which the tin cylinder D has whilst twisting, a

page_text: reverse movement is given to the spindles, the amount of which we regulate
by means similar to that adopted in machine delineated on Sheet 1. A sliding
pin attached to the vibrating lever which governs the fallers, and acting in the
same manner as the sliding pin, made to press on the segmental lever attached
to the shaper seen in Sheet 1, is made. by the intervention of a small lever, to
act upon lever W+, and again vibrating the lever R+, from contact with a third
projection of part S by the action of spring S', effects another change in the
part S, and disengages the clutch box W7, and by its attachment to rod in
hollow shaft C brings into connection the friction clutch box W with the
winding-on apparatus, and out of connection the clutch W7, and so the winding-
on apparatus is brought into gear. Simultaneous with this last-described
movement on the part S, the rotation of the cam U brings an indentation upon
it opposite to the lever U, and so allows the spring V₁ to act upon the lever U',
and causes the wheel 6 to come into gear with wheel 5, and again vibrate the
lever L, which, through the peculiar action of the crank, will then be in an
opposite direction to the one it had whilst the spindles were twisting. Another
projection in the wheel 8', on its reverse movement, vibrates the lever Re in the
opposite direction to its former vibration, and moves the lever R' from under
a fourth projection of part S, which is again acted upon by spring S', which
causes it to finish one revolution, and be prepared for the commencement of
another stretch when the lever N has vibrated back again to its greatest
distance, and brought respectively the one row of spindles E' to the drawing
rollers O, and on the other end of the lever N the drawing rollers O' to their
spindles E; the cam U, by its action upon the lever W on the grooved
piece W, disengages the clutch box W, and retains both it and clutch box W
out of gear; and the part S, by means of its inclined slot, traverses the strap
guide on pulley F into a situation so as to hold the strap partly upon pulley Fand
partly upon pulley B, which thus conveys motion, whilst forming the stretch,
both to the spindles and rollers, and as well to the vibrating lever N. The
mode of regulating the faller movement and backing-off motion is the same
as that shewn in machine represented in Sheet 1. and needs no further illus-
tration berc.
Figure 3 represents another modification of our improvements, where is
shewn a method of forming the stretch by the traversing of the rollers 0, 0¹,
together with their bobbins, and from their respective spindles E and E' on sta-
tionary slides fixed to the framing in an oblique direction to the floor on which
the machine is placed. On motion being given to the drawing shaft C the tin
cylinder D fastened upon it communicates motion to the spindles E, E, by
bands in the usual manner, as represented by lines in blue. The position

page_text: F
of the spindles is stationary, and always as exhibited in Fig. 3. The circular
lines in red are made to represent the pitch lines of a series of whicels from the
driving pulley on shaft C to the wheel marked 1 fixed on shaft I, which shaft
performs the same duties as the shaft marked I in Sheet 1. That series of
wheels also gives motion to wheel 2, which runs loose on shaft 1, and this
motion is communicated, as seen in Fig. 8, to the drawing roll. rs 'O and O¹ by
means of the bevils 3 and 4, which slide respectively along the shafts upon
which they are placed. These bevils have each a tongue er pin working into.
grooves cut the whole length of the shaft P and P' upon which they are placed. "
The projecting arms Q and Q, fixed on the roller beam, are made to clip
respectively the bosses of the wheels 3 and 4, and carry these wheels along
with the roller wheels into which they gear, and at the same time are always
able to revolve by means of the tongue working into the groove of the shafts P
and P. The traversing of the rollers O and O¹ is effected by means of the
double racked piece O, which receives its motion from shaft I through the
action of a cam, precisely in the same manner as in the double racked!
piece O, in Sheet 1. These racks gear into wheels 5 and 6, and so through 7
and 8 into 9 and 10. These latter wheels are attached on shafts which
extend the whole length of the frame. Upon these shafts are placed wheels>
which gear respectively into the links of the chains R, R. These chains
are attached to the roller beams upon which the roller O, O', are placed, and
are kept extended by passing over tension wheels Sand S' fixed at the greatest"
distance the roller beam is required to traverse from the spindles; similar
chains are placed at convenient intervals in the length of the machine. The
action of the cam, placed on the shaft I, upon the doubled-racked piece O is,
to elevate the rollers by the chains R and R' to their greatest height and
distance from the spindles, and it is the weight of the rollers which brings
them again to the spindles during the winding on of the yarn, which down-
ward movement is adjusted by the same cam. The other motions of the
machine are essentially the same as described in machine represented in
Sheet 1, only requiring obvious modifications to correspond with the different
position of the parts.
Another mode of giving a rotary motion to the drawing rollers than that de-
scribed, we effect by placing on each side of the machine, upon any slide upon
which each of the respective roller beams traverses, a stationary rack, into
which is made to gear either a wheel upon one of the drawing rollers, or one
in connection with such wheel. It will be apparent that the traversing of the
roller beam will cause the wheel gearing into the stationary racks to revolve
during the outward progress of the roller from the spindles, and we make the

page_text: connection of the wheels working into these racks with the drawing roller
such, by means of catch boxes or ratched wheels, that on the return of the
rollers to the spindles, these wheels, though they work on the stationary rack,
shall move round without communicating motion to the rollers.
Figure 4 represents another modification of our improvements, wherein the
spindles E and E' are made to slide to and from their respective drawing
rollers and O¹ by the same means as the drawing roller in Fig. 3 traverse
to and from the respective spindles. It will not be necessary for us to repeat
the description of the similar required movements and parts, and we think it
only requisite to describe how we drive the spindles. C represents the driving
shaft on which is fixed the double-grooved pulley C¹, over which passes an
endless rope or cord. The direction of this cord is shown by the arrows, and
it will be found to pass from the pulley Cround the carrier pulley C², round
the tin cylinder C³ and tension pulley C over the carrier pulley C³, and
round the tension pulley C and tin cylinder Cround the carrier pulley C³,
back again to a pulley C', and round tension pulley C, over the pulley C',
and then on to a carrier pulley C, as before. The two tin cylinders C³ and
C' working the spindles E and E', as well as the tension pulley C and Co,
are carried along with the spindles with which they are in connection by being
attached to the frame with which the spindles slide. The mode shewn here
of driving the spindles is represented on a large scale in Fig. 5, the only
difference of which consists in adding a small guide pulley which conducts the
returning side of the band on to the cylinder, and permits us to bring the tin
cylinder and spindle nearer to each other. It is obvious that the oblique
traverse of the spindle, represented at Fig. 4, Sheet 3, may be varied (without
change of the motions, as described) to a perpendicular one.
We have now gone through the description of our first series of improve-
ments, or such as apply to the double self-acting mule, together with some of
its various modifications, and would remark that the driving of two separate
sets of drawing rollers so placed as to deliver in opposite directions, and two
separate ranges of spindles driven from off the same cylinder or driven by the
same gearing, eflects a considerable saving in the construction of the machine,
while the space it occupies is much less than that required for a mule of the
ordinary construction containing the same number of spindles; and, conse-
quently, the labour or attendance on machines of our improved construction is
found to be much diminished from that required for ordinary mules. For the
foregoing description of our first scries of improvements, or such as apply to
the double self-acting mule, we would further remark, that many of our im-
provements are equally applicable to single self-acting mules as well as to the

page_text: But
preparation machine called the stretcher, which machine being so similar
to the mule we have not thought it necessary to describe, and the application
of our improvements to the other mules are too obvious to require any.
as we have necessarily referred to many common and well-known parts of
machinery in the above description, we would state that we make no claim of
Invention to such parts. But what we do claim as our Invention in the series
of improvements above described,-
First, the general construction and arrangement of machinery for the
purposes above described, in which two sets of drawing rollers, driven and
regulated by one set of gearing, deliver in opposite directions to spindles
twisting from their points, and set back to back.
Second, the construction and arrangement of machinery on which the
spindles traverse to and from the drawing rollers of a mule or similar machine
in the segment of a circle, or in an oblique or vertical direction, as above
described.
Third, the general arrangement and construction of machinery for the
purposes above described, in which the drawing rollers of a mule or similar
machine traverse to and from the spindles in place of traversing the spindles.
Fourth, the peculiar arrangement and construction of the winding-on
apparatus, as above described, in which the required variable rotation of the
spindles is produced by the action of a lever vibrating on its fulcrum, which
lever varies in its vibration during the winding up of the yarn at every stretch,
and the amount of such variation of vibration is changed every stretch during
the formation of the bottom of the cop.
Fifth, the general construction and arrangement of machinery for the
purposes above described, in which the movement of the guiding faller wire
is governed by means of a shaper working round a fixed stud.
Sixth, the arrangement and construction of machinery by which both the
faller wires are placed under the threads whilst spinning, but which, upon
coming into operation to distribute the yarn on the spindles, causes the
guiding faller wire to come to the front or opposite side of the spindles to
that hitherto practised, and guide the threads on to the cop whilst in that
position.
Seventh, the general construction and arrangement of machinery for
adjusting the irregularities of the backing off or winding on by means of the
action of the counter faller on the shaper, as above described.
We shall now proceed to describe our improvements in the carding engine,
as shewn in Sheet 4. Figure 1 represents a side view of an ordinary cotton
carding engine to which our improvements are applied. Figure 2 represents

page_text: a section of that part of the card to which our improvements are applied;
and we have not thought it necessary to describe or delineate the general
working parts of a card, as the nature of our improvements will be readily
understood by person conversant with that description of machine. In these
Figures A represents the main cylinder; B, the deffer; C, the licker-in; and
B, the working rollers; and E, are the strippers. The main cylinder, doffer,
working rollers, and strippers are driven in the ordinary manner; and sup-
posing motion to be given to these parts, we will proceed to shew the nature
of our improvements. Upon the end of the doffer is keyed the wheel 1,
which gears into the carrier wheels 2, thence to wheel 3, and so to wheel 4,
which latter wheel runs freely on the bearing of the main cylinder A. The
wheel 4 has placed at intervals on the side of its rim the projections F, made
in the form of double inclines, which, on motion being communicated from
the doffer through wheels 1, 2, and 3, presses on the lever G, G, &c., which
levers vibrate upon their fulerums marked II, II. It will be noticed that an
arm of the lever G clips the working roller D in a groove, so that when
the incline F is made to press upon the other arm of the lever G, it causes
it to vibrate so that the working roller D moves in a direction parallel
to the axis of the cylinder A, as indicated by the arrow shewn on Figure 2.
Upon the incline F having pushed the working roller D to its greatest
distance, the spring I is fastened at one extremity to the bend, and pressing
on the lever G causes the lever G to return to its original position, and
so bing back the working roller D along with it ready to be acted upon
by the next projection on the rim of wheel 4. The like action may be
made to operate upon the whole of the working rollers, or part of them, as
may be found convenient or necessary. In the Drawing annexed the levers G
are shewn attached to each of the working rollers, and the projections are
so placed on the rim of the wheel 4 that 3 of the rollers are acted upon
by the levers G, and two are out of action. It may be here remarked
that we usually make the working roller that much longer than is usual
by the distance they move sideways. In ordinary carding engines great
evil is found to arise from the unequal distribution of the cotton on the
card A, either through irregularities of the lap K, or the snatching of
the cotton by the licker-in through the feeding rollers L; and the object of
our improvement now described is to distribute those irregular portions of
cotton evenly on the surface of the cylinder A. This is done by cach
working roller taking a portion of that cotton on the cylinder A which lies
higher on the surface than the main body of the fleece, and distributing
it over the surface over which it traverses. The lateral action of the

page_text: whole of the working rollers, or part of them, in different directions, and
at different times, has the effect of thus distributing the cotton in a uniform
fleece on the surface of the card A; and it is this sideway movement either of
the working rollers, stripper, or flats, made so to do by any mechanical means
in combination with their ordinary operations to produce the above effect, that
we claim as our Invention and improvement. And we claim this improve-
ment as applied to the carding of cotton, wool, flax, silk, or any other
fibrous material. All the working parts, with the exception of the working
roller D, are supported by bearings, and worked in the ordinary manner. The
working rollers D, however, have at their drawing end tongues fixed parallel
to their axle, which tongues fit into grooves in the driving pullies M, in such
a manner that they will be carried round by the pulley M in the ordinary
way, but can slide through the pulley M without carrying it along with them
on receiving the motion which has been described. The pulley M is prevented
from moving sideways by having a groove turned in its boss, which groove
fits into the ordinary standard for carrying the working rollers of carding
engines. Motion is conveyed to the pullies M by bands in the usual manner,
causing the working rollers to move round their axis in the usual direction,
and at the usual speed.
Figure 8 and 9 represents our improved presser flyer for compressing
the roving on the bobbins in bobbin and fly frames. It will be observed
that the improvement consists in a better adaptation of the action of the
spring on that part of the flyer called the presser, as well as in attaching
the presser to the flyer in a secure manner, and so as to remove the pro-
jection on which the spring acts, from ever coming into contact with the
roving on the bobbins when it is full. The spring B' is seen made on one
end secure to that part of the flyer called technically the "socket," and as this
is the strongest part of the flyer, the action of the spring when in contact with
the presser enables it better to counteract any tendency to twist the flyer leg
than when the spring is attached to the leg in the ordinary manner. It will be
observed that this spring is wholly above the bobbin in every position of its
traverse, and acts upon the presser at right angles to the bobbin, and commu-
nication is made from that part of the presser seen at the lower extremity of one
of the flyer legs, acting upon the roving by a rod to the part of the presser
represented as clipping the flyer leg at the point marked A and A'. The
projection on the presser upon which the spring is made to act is seen marked
B, and, as will be observed, is always above and out of danger of contact with
the bobbin. The placing of this spring so as to act from the socket, or
otherwise, on the presser, by a projection or indentation placed above the

page_text: bobbin, by means of a connecting part from such spring down the leg of the
flyer to the presser, is one of the improvements we claim as our Invention.
And we claim all modifications of this important feature.
Figure 9 represents another mode of forming the flyer denominated "presser
flyer," by taking away the part ordinarily called the presser, and making the flyer
legs to vibrate upon a cross piece attached to the socket. It will be observed
that the two flyer legs are acted upon by the springs C, C', being attached to the
cross piece, and acting upon the flyer leg underneath the socket upon which they
vibrate. The roving is seen to pass down the tube forming the flyer leg, and
thence to the bobbins; and what we claim as our Invention in this latter flyer is,
the effecting of the pressing action by the vibrating leg or legs of a flyer, by
means of a spring placed above the bobbin on the socket, or otherwise, of such
flyer. All which improvements being, to the best of our knowledge and belief,
now and never before practised in that part of Her Majesty's Dominions called
England, we deliver this as our true and faithful Specification of the same.
In witness whereof, we, the said James Higgins and Thomas Schofield
Whitworth, have hereunto set our hands and seals, this First
day of October, Oue thousand eight hundred and forty-five.
Extraordinary in Chancery.
AND BE IT REMEMBERED, that on the same First day of October, in
the year above mentioned, the aforesaid James Higgins and Thomas Schofield
Whitworth came before our said Lady the Queen in Her Chancery, and
acknowledged the Specification aforesaid, and all and every thing therein
contained, in form above written. And also the Specification aforesaid
was stamped according to the tenor of the Statute in that case made and
provided.
Inrolled the Second day of October, in the year above written.