Improvements in Self Acting Mules and Twiners.
Year: 1893

page_text: COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Self Acting Mules and Twiners.
I, EMILE HANHART, of 15 Rue de l'Aigle, Mulhouse, Alsace, in the Empire of
Germany, Engineer, do hereby declare the nature of this invention and in what
manner the same is to be performed, to be particularly described and ascertained
in and by the following statement :-
My invention relates to improvements in self acting mules and twiners, and
the chief object of my invention is to increase the firmness and consequently the
weight of the cops without putting any excessive strain upon the yarn being spun
and wound on the spindles.
I effect this object by various arrangements and combinations of mechanism in
the manner hereinafter described with reference to the accompanying two sheets of
drawings in which―
Figures 1 to 4 are four side elevations of part of a self acting mule fitted
with four alternative arrangements of mechanism according to my present
improvements.
-
Similar letters refer to similar parts throughout the several views, a being the
headstock, the mule carriage, c the spindles, d the faller shaft, e the counterfaller
shaft, fa lever arm, bracket or half moon fixed on the counterfaller shaft e and
g a coiled spring.
In Figure the arm or lever f is connected by the spring g to a lever h
fulcrumed at i on the mule carriage. At the other end the lever / carries a bowl j
which runs upon an adjustable incline or rail k fixed upon the floor.
When the carriage is at the end of its outward run the spring g exerts the
minimum strain upon the counterfaller e but as the carriage 6 makes its inward
run the bowl gradually mounts the incline k and consequently the tension upon
j
the spring and the strain on the counterfaller constantly increases until the
maximum pressure or resistance is reached at the point where it is most required
that is when the yarn is nearest the spindles c.
In the alternative arrangement illustrated by Fig. 2 the spring g is attached at
one end to a bracket which is secured to the headstock o, and at the other end
the spring is connected to the lever which in this case is fulcrumed at i on the
headstock a. The long arm of the lever is preferably made round and is
supported on a small bowl or roller m carried by the arm or lever ƒ fixed on the
counterfaller shaft e.
1
When the carriage is at the end of its outward run the minimum strain is on the
counterfaller shaft e;. but as the carriage makes its inward run the strain on the
counterfaller shaft e constantly increases as the bowl m approaches the fulcrum i
and the weight of the lever h upon the bowl m increases, the greatest pressure
being at the point where it is most needed, that is, when the yarn is nearest the
spindles c. It will be readily understood that the spring g in this arrangement is
only employed to supplement the action of the lever and if preferred this spring
may be dispensed with, provided that the weight of the lever / be sufficiently
heavy.
In the alternative arrangement illustrated by Fig. 3 the half moon bracket fon
the counterfaller shafte is connected by a spring g and rope or equivalent connection
to one diameter of a double pulley n the other diameter of which is connected by
a cord or equivalent o to an arm p fixed on the faller shaft d. The pulley n is
carried in a slide block fitted in a slot in a bracket g, and a spring r is attached at
one end to the slide block and at the other end to a bracket & secured to the
carriage b.
When the backing off begins and the faller descends the arm p descends also,

page_text: and simultaneously the counterfaller rises and the half moon f moves down whereby
the strain on the spring g is relaxed and there is consequently little or no tension
on the counterfaller; but as the winding on begins during the inward run of the
carriage the faller rises and with it the arm p and the cord o unwinds from
the pulley n and simultaneously the rope of the spring g is wound on whereby the
strain on the counterfaller increases gradually during the whole of the inward run
the greatest pressure being at the point where it is most needed as already described,
while the action of the springs on the counterfaller is practically nil when backing
off takes place.
In the alternative arrangement illustrated by Fig. 4 the action of some of the
parts is reversed the arm p being placed on the opposite side of the faller shaft d
and connected by the cord o to the opposite side of the pulley n. The half moon
bracket on the counterfaller shaft e is connected by a cord or equivalent t to one
end of the weighted salmon head lever s which is pivoted at s¹ to the carriage b.
An arm is also fixed on the counterfaller shaft e on the side opposite to the
half moon bracket and this arm f¹ is connected by the spring 9 and cord
connection to the other side of the pulley n.
In operation when the carriage is at the end of its outward run and when the
backing off begins the faller d descends and the arm p rises, while simultaneously
the counterfaller e rises and with it the arm f¹ so that the weight of the salmon
head levers is counteracted by the springs and r which at this time offer the
greatest resistance and consequently the minimum strain is put upon the yarn ; but
'as the carriage runs in and winding on begins the faller rises and the counterfaller
descends so that the cord o unwinds and the cord of the spring g is wound upon the
pulley whereby the strain of the weighted salmon head lever s upon the
counterfaller e is to some extent counteracted. and its action rendered smooth and
gradual.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said inven-
tion and in what manner the same is to be performed I declare that what I
claim is :-
1. The combination and arrangement of parts wherein a lever fulcrumed on the
mule carriage is connected at one end by a coiled spring to an arm on the counter-
faller shaft and at the other end carries a bowl which travels on an adjustable
inclined rail secured upon the floor substantially as and for the purposes herein
described with reference to Figure 1.
2. The combination with an arm fixed on the counterfaller shaft, of a lever
fulcrumed on the headstock and provided with a spring all arranged and operating
substantially as and for the purposes herein described with reference to Figure 2.
3. The combinations with arms levers or brackets mounted on the faller and
counterfaller shafts, and springs and ropes or equivalent connections, of a pulley
mounted to slide under the strain of a spring in a bracket on the mule carriage
substantially as and for the purposes herein described with reference to Figures 3
and 4
4. The several combinations and arrangements of parts embodying my improve-
ments substantially as herein set forth.
Dated this 11th day of July 1802
H. B. BARLOW & GILLETT,
17, St. Ann's Square, Manchester, Agents for Applicant.