IMPROVEMENTS IN SPINDLES FOR THE SPINNING OF SILK AND OTHER FIBROUS MATERIAL
Year: 1858

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Francis Shaw, of Siddal's Road, Derby, in the
County of Derby, Silk Throwster and Silk Merchant, for the Invention
of "IMPROVEMENTS IN SPINDLES FOR THE SPINNING OF SILK AND OTHER
FIBROUS MATERIAL."
Sealed the 15th February 1859, and dated the 17th August 1858.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Francis Shaw at the
Office of the Commissioners. of Patents, with his Petition, on the 17th
August 1858.
I, FRANCIS SHAW, of Siddal's Road, Derby, in the County of Derby, Silk
Throwster and Silk Merchant, do hereby declare the nature of the said
Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN SPINDLES FOR THE SPINNING OF SILK AND OTHER
FIBROUS MATERIAL," to be as follows:-
The spindles are worked upon a stud which is hollow and composed of
mixed metal, having a steel cap at the top of about one inch and a quarter in
length; the metal passes through the steel cap, and thus forms a bush
whereby the spindles are susceptible of being driven at a much higher speed
than formerly. I secure the bottom of the spindle by the employment of a
thumbscrew, which prevents it flying off. Heretofore, spindles used in the
spinning of silk or other fibrous material have usually been about fourteen to
sixteen inches in length, thereby requiring a very large space, whereas by
my Invention the spindles are each about seven inches in length, hence double
the number of spindles can be used within the same space. By means of my
Invention double the quantity of work can be produced in a given time.

page_text: I protect the oil in the step of the spindle from dirt and other injurious
substances coming in contact with it; and I propose that the step in which
the spindle works shall be let into a solid bar, attached to the mill, and shall
not rest upon a hollow bar.
'
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent, filed
by the said Francis Shaw in the Great Seal Patent Office on the
17th February 1859.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, FRANCIS
SHAW, of Siddal's Road, Derby, in the County of Derby, Silk Throwster and
Silk Merchant, send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her Letter's
Patent, bearing date the Seventeenth day of August, in the year of our Lord
One thousand eight hundred and fifty-eight, in the twenty-second year of Her
reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give and grant unto me,
the said Francis Shaw, Her special licence that I, the said Francis
Shaw, my executors, administrators, and assigns, or such others as I,
the said Francis Shaw, my executors, administrators, and assigns, should at
any time agree with, and no others, from time to time and at all times there-
after 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
SPINDLES FOR THE SPINNING OF SILK AND OTHER FIBROUS MATERIAL," upon the
[condition (amongst others) that I, the said Francis Shaw, my executors or
administrators, by an instrument in writing under 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 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 Francis Shaw, do hereby declare
the nature of the said Invention; and, in what manner the same is. to. be
performed, to be particularly described and. ascertained in and by the follow-
ing statement thereof, reference being had to the accompanying Drawings,
and to the figures and letters, marked thereon, that is to say::-
My Invention consists of improvements" in hollow brass spindles for the
spinning of silk and other fibrous material, according to which the spindles
are worked upon a steel stud, and have a steel cap at top of about one inch

page_text: *
and a quarter in length to protect the part from abrasion, the brass or metal
passing through the steel cap, and thus forming a bush, whereby I can drive
the spindles at a much higher speed than could otherwise be obtained; and
the bottom of the spindle is secured by the employment of a thumbscrew
which prevents.it from flying off. 'Spindles usually employed in spinning silk
and other fibrous material have usually been from about 14 to 16 inches in
length, thereby requiring a large space; but my improved spindles are each only
about seven inches in length, so that I may place at least double the number
within the same space or area; and by means of this arrangement and of the
before mentioned improvements I can produce more than double the quantity
of work in any given time.
In my improvements also I make a provision by which the oil in the
step of the spindle is securely preserved from the contact of dirt or other
injurious substance. The step in which my spindle works is let into a solid
bar attached to the mill instead of allowing it to rest upon a-hollow bar. The
accompanying Drawings exemplify spindles constructed according to my
Invention.
Figure 1 represents an external elevation of one of my improved 'spindles
for spinning silk, cotton, and other fibrous material; and Figure 2 shows a
section of the same. A is a solid bar running the length of the mill and
pierced with holes to carry steel spindle studs B, each having a conical collar
or shoulder C; these studs being but about seven inches long, occupy but
little more than half the space of spindles in general use, so that three rows at
least of spindles may be used in the same height, breadth, and length of the
mill where two only are placed according to the usual method. The improved
stud B tapers from the collar C to the top, and is thioner for a short distance
above the collar to within about seven-eighths of an inch from the top. The
spindle is kept from rising by a thumbscrew through the bar, just above the
collar C. The thin end of the spindle has a hole bored downwards; a little
way from the top, and another hole is also bored through it across the former;
through these holes the spindle is oiled from the top. The bar A forms a step
to receive a collar at the lower end of a tube E, which is made of mixed
metal, the tube bearing upon the collar C of the stud and on the thick part
immediately above it, and also on the thick part at the top.. Above the
collar of the. tube is an iron or steel pulley F, and the upper end of the
tube E for about one and a quarter inches in length passes through a steel
cap, thus forming a bush, whereby the spindles can be driven at a much
greater speed than could otherwise be obtained. When these spindles are
oiled, the superfluous oil, instead of being scattered or lying in cups and

page_text: becoming thick with lint and. dust, runs into the space between the collar
and the step of the spindle, which space being covered over the oil is kept
free from waste and dust.
Figure 3 represents an external elevation of my spindle for spinning cotton
or other fibrous material, which is similar to the one before described,
excepting that the cap is of greater length, and carries an iron or steel flyer G
on the top of it. Figure 4 represents a section shewing the stud tube and
flyer, the flyer having a hole in the direction of its length to receive the oil
which passes through it and drops on to the top of the stud, which is provided
with holes similar to the stud before described. Figure 5 represents a side
view of the flyer. The Figures are all drawn the full size, and the parts in
section are tinted, but the spindles as shewn in the Drawings are about one-
fourth thicker than by practical experience is found to be necessary.
And having now described the nature of my said Invention and in what
manner the same may be performed, I declare that the aforesaid Invention
relates to improvements on a spindle, for which my overlooker, Ichabod
Nettleship obtained a Patent, dated 5th September, 1855, assigned by him to
me, and that I claim as my improvements constituting my present Invention,
the employment with and adaptation to. such spindles of the steel cap at the
upper part of the tube E, änd likewise of the thumbscrew for securing the
spindle at its lower part, and also the particular combination of parts of
improved spindle, as represented in the accompanying Drawings and herein-
before described.
In witness whereof, I, the said Francis Shaw, have hereunto set my
hand and seal, this Sixteenth day of February, in the year of our
Lord One thousand eight hundred and fifty-nine.
Witness,
GEO. JON. ROBINSON,
Patent Agent,
Nottingham.
FRANCIS SHAW. (L.S.)