IMPROVEMENTS IN SELF-ACTING MULES AND TWINERS FOR SPINNING AND DOUBLING FIBROUS MATERIALS
Year: 1877

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to George Baxter, of Hollinwood, in the County of Lancaster,
Cotton Spinner, for the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN SELF-ACTING MULES
AND TWINERS FOR SPINNING AND DOUBLING FIBROUS MATERIALS."
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said George Baxter at the Office
of the Commissioners of Patents on the 28th August 1877.
GEORGE BAXTER, of Hollinwood, in the County of Lancaster, Cotton Spinner.
"IMPROVEMENTS IN SELF-ACTING MULES AND TWINERS FOR SPINNING AND DOUBLING
FIBROUS MATERIALS."
My Invention relates to mechanism for “ putting up" the mule carriage, and
consists mainly of improvements or Inventions for the same purpose for which
Letters Patent were granted to Henry Baxter, Luke Rushworth, and Henry Clough,
on the Thirty-first day of July 1875, Number 2714, and to John Wain, on the
Fifteenth day of September 1876, Number 3619, both of which Inventions are for
actuating the mule carriage by means of a lever vibrating in a plane, by proference
horizontal, centred on a stud fixed to the floor, and actuated from the catch box shaft,
in the former Patent by the intervention of spur gear, and in the latter Patent by
spur gear and a crank motion consisting of a stud fixed in a wheel and a rod
connecting the said stud with the vibrating lever.
The end of the lever away from the fulcrum carries an "antifriction bowl" which
runs between straight or curved bars attached to the mule carriage.
The object desired to be obtained is a steady motion, easy at starting, quick in
the middle, and finishing gently without shock or vibration..
To obtain these results and to make my Invention applicable to all forms and sorts
of existing as well as future mules, and to take away all resistance to the drawing
out of the carriage from the sticking of the gear by reason of the dead centre which
is unavoidable in a crank motion, I propose to use one or other of the following
LD 31

page_text: arrangements or modifications, or combinations of them, as the many varieties of
mules, and the circumstances under which they work, may direct:-I propose to fix
in the train of wheels between the "catch box shaft" and the vibrating lever a pair
of complete or segmental wheels of varying radius arranged so that the angular
velocity of the lever may be quicker in the middle of its traverse, and slower at the
ends.
In the case of segments, being used, one of them may be cast on or attached to
the vibrating lever; or I may attain the same result by employing a horizontal
shaft driven by hevil gear from the "catch box shaft," and carrying a pinion gearing
into a wheel or segment either circular, eccentric, or elliptical, attached to the
vibrating arm or lever, the pinion being free to slide on the shaft, and to follow the
curve of the wheel or segment with which it gears.
If I wish the pinion always to revolve in the same direction, I place teeth on
both sides of the segment, and traverse the pinion as in a mangle wheel; or I may
use a complete mangle wheel at some other point in the train.
In cases when it may be desirable to use a means of connection other than toothed
gear between a wheel and the vibrating lever, I propose to connect the two by a
chain, one end. to take hold of a cranked pin in the wheel, and the other of a curved
segment or pulley attached to the vibrating arm; a supplementary chain being used
to check the over-running of the carriage as it approaches the rollers, or in place of
a chain I use a rod or bar gearing with rack teeth into a circular or elliptical segment
on the vibrating lever.
A somewhat similar result may be obtained by cutting a curved slot in the
vibrating lever, and using a slide or radial arm to guide a stud on the end of the
connecting link; or I may substitute for the slot a short link centred at the centre,
from which the curve of the slot is or would be struck; or I may form a lug or ear
on the side of the lever farthest from the "catch box shaft," and place the stud upon
it out of line with the centre of the lever, which will have the effect of retarding the
motion of the carriage as it approaches the rollers. I also propose to arrange the drawing
up of the carriage by a vibrating lever taking hold of a fixed point in the carriage,
instead of by means of a bowl running in guide bars. To effect this I relinquish
the fixed fulcrum for the lever, and substitute a link hinged either backwards towards
or beyond the rollers, or forwards towards or underneath the carriage when drawn
out or I fix two studs on a diameter line of a plate wheel, and from each stud I
take a connecting rod to a stud on the vibrating lever, the distance between the
two studs, on the lever being not less than that of the two studs on the plate wheel.
With this latter arrangement the plate wheel must run back and not forwards
when the carriage runs out. The same or a similar arrangement of rack and segment
or curved slot and link, or of two supplementary links, may be applied as in the
former instance described above; or if it be desired to draw the carriage from the
centre of its length instead of from a point or points on one side of the centre as at
present, I use a compound lever consisting of one lever actuating another lever, by
which means I am able to bring the point of attachment to the carriage into any
desired position within reasonable limits.
To insure the easy "running out" of the carriage unimpeded by the gear, I use
a slotted crosshead on the connecting rod between the crank pin and the lever when
that arrangement is desirable, and I form the slot to any curve I may désire, to
obtain the requisite smoothness of motion, and at the point where the pin passes the
dead centre, and for a short distance beyond it, I widen the slot, so that the crank
pin may be carried well past the dead centre to insure a perfectly free start in
running out; " or in place of the curved slot I use a short link centred at the
centre of the curve of the slot on a stud carried by the main connecting rod, and I
apply a spring to bear against the crank pin, so that the gear may be set in motion
gently. The end of the connecting rod bearing the slotted cross head I carry in a
fixed slide or guide to prevent lateral motion.
**
In order more thoroughly to ease the carriage from the drag of the gear in "running

page_text: out," I drive the plate wheel or crank with a pair of intermittent wheels, which
perfectly detach the plate wheel or crank from all connection with the "clutch box
shaft" excepting when "putting up," and I propose to drive the smaller of the two
intermittent wheels by spur gear or by bevel gear, and a worm and worm wheel,
or by combination of a worm and worm wheel with any arrangements of gear that
may be required to suit the particular build of mule to which it may be desired to
apply my Invention.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent filed by
the said George Baxter in the Great Seal Patent Office on the 28th February
1878.
"
GEORGE BAXTER, of Hollinwood, in the County of Lancaster, Cotton Spinner.
"IMPROVEMENTS IN SELF-ACTING MULES AND TWINERS FOR SPINNING AND DOUBLING
FIBROUS MATERIALS."
My Invention relates to mechanism for putting up or running in the carriage in
self-acting mules or twiners, and consists mainly of improvements on Inventions
for the same purpose for which Letters Patent were granted to Henry Baxter, Luke
Rushworth, and Henry Clough, on the Thirty-first day of July, One thousand eight
hundred and seventy-five, Number 2714, and to John Wain, on the Fifteenth day of
September, One thousand eight hundred and seventy-six, Number 3619, both of
which Inventions were for actuating the mule carriage by means of a lever vibrating
in a plane, by preference horizontal, centred on a stud fixed to the floor and driven
from the "catch box shaft" in the former Patent by the intervention of spur gear,
and in the latter by spur gear and a crank motion consisting of a stud fixed in a
wheel, and a rod connecting the said stud with the vibrating lever.
In both cases the end of the lever away from the fulcrum carries an anti-
friction bowl which runs between straight or curved bars attached to the mule
carriage.
The object desired to be attained is a steady motion, easy at starting, quick in the
middle, and finishing gently without shock or vibration.
The two Inventions referred to above have only partially fulfilled these
conditions.
My Invention perfectly accomplishes the above-mentioned objects, and may be so
varied in form and detail as to be applicable to all makes of mules. I propose to use
one or other of the following arrangements or modifications or combinations of them
as may be most suitable to the special build of any mule to which I may have to
apply my Invention.
The accompanying two Sheets of Drawings are to a scale of one inch to a foot,
with the exception of Figures 7 and 8, which are to a scale of three inches to a
foot.
Figure 1, Sheet 1, shews an arrangement with a pair of eccentric or elliptical
wheels introduced in the train of gear between the "catch box shaft" and the lever,
whereby the angular velocity of the lever is increased in the middle, and diminished
at the ends of its traverse. In this as in the succeeding Figures the pinion on the

page_text: catch box shaft is marked a, the main spur wheel with which the pinion gears, b,
the arm or lever for putting up the carriage, c, the fulcrum of the lever, c', the anti-
friction bowl or pulley, c², the bars curved or straight are marked d, d, and are
attached to the mule carriage e. The plate is bolted to the headstock and to the
floor, and is for the purpose of supporting the fulcrum c¹ and the intermediate gear.
The eccentric segment g is attached to the lever c, and is driven by the eccentric
pinion h, and is arranged, as will be clearly seen from the Drawing; so that the
angular velocity of the lever will be much greater in the middle than at the extremities
of its traverse. The are through which the lever vibrates is shown in dotted lines.
In place of the spur gear shown in the Drawing bevil gear may be used, with a
horizontal shaft between the pinion a and the segment g, in which case the pinion
gearing with the segment g would have to be free to slide on the shaft, so as to
follow the curve of the said segment. The pinion a may be made to revolve in one
direction only by introducing a mangle wheel at some point in the train of gear
between the pinion a and the lever c.
Figure 2, Sheet 1, is a plan shewing the spur wheel b connected with the lever c
by a chain k¹ taking hold of a stud or crank pin in the wheel b, and of a pulley or
curved segment & cast or fixed on the lever c; the supplementary chain k² is for
preventing the carriage from over-running as it approaches the rollers.
Figure 3 shews a plan of an arrangement almost identical in principle, a rack i
being substituted for the chain, and a toothed segment l' for the pulley. Both
this and the preceding method give a much softer start and finish than the simple
connecting rod and stud at present in use, as described in Wain's Specification.
Figure 4, Sheet 1, is a plan of a method of obtaining the same result by links
and levers; c³ is a small supplementary link or lever centred on a stud carried by the
main lever c; a connecting rod m takes hold of one end of the lever c³, and the
motion of c is controlled by a radius bar c', centred on a fixed point, the result
being that the end of the lever cs is drawn nearer the fulcrum c¹ as it approaches
the middle of its traverse, and pushed further away as the carriage gets nearer to
the rollers, thus producing the desired variation in speed. The connecting rod m
and the radius bar c', may both take hold of the same point in the lever c³, in
which case it will become a link rather than a lever, or it may be dispensed with
altogether, and a slot either curved or straight, cut in the lever c, substituted
for it.
Figure 5 is a plan, and Figure 6 an elevation of an arrangement similar in
principle to that shewn in Figure 4; the connecting rod m takes hold of a pin m'
fixed eccentrically in the circular plate m²; a short shaft m³ joins the plate m² to the
spur wheel m¹, gearing with the fixed segment m³. When the carriage is out, as
shown, the centre shaft m³ is between the pin m¹ and the toothed segment m³,
consequently the angular motion of the lever c is reduced; but when the carriage
is half way in, the pin m' has moved round to a position between the shaft or
arbor m³ and the segment m³, so that the speed of the carriage is increased. When
the carriage is nearly up to the rollers, the pin m' returns to about the same angular
position relative to the headstock that it had at starting. The floor plate.f is shown
carried right across from back to front of the headstock, which gives great stiffness
to the whole machine; I propose to adopt this method of construction in all cases,
whether so shown or not.
Figure 7 is a section, and Figure 8 a plan shewing the arrangement of eccentric
pin and wheel. On the pin m' I place an eccentric bush n, which I can fix in any
position by means of the nut n¹. By turning the eccentric bust towards or from the
centre arbor m³, I can shorten or lengthen the throw of the pin m', and so adjust
the speed of the mule carriage to the greatest nicety. I regulate the length of the
connecting rod m by means of a similar eccentric bush n² fixed in the end which
takes hold of the stud in the wheel b.
Figure nine shews a plan of an arrangement which I do not claim by itself, but only
in combination with some of the other arrangements herein described. It consists

page_text: in placing the pin in the lever c on a lug or ear on one side of the lever, which
has the effect in the instance delineated of causing the carriage to start more
slowly..
Figure 10, Sheet 2, is a plan of an arrangement in which the antifiriction bowl or
pulley and the straight or curved bars attached to the carriage are dispensed with ;
the end of the lever c takes hold directly of the carriage, and consequently describes
a straight line in place of an arc of a circle as the carriage runs in the slot callows
the lever to slide on the fulcrum pin, whereby the leverage is continually altering,
giving a greatly increased speed in the middle of the "stretch."
Figure 11, Sheet 2, is a plan of an arrangement similar to the preceding, but
with a radius bar n' substituted for the slot c. The radius' bar may be centred
at or about the point n³ if desired; this method does not give so much variation in
speed, as that shown at Figure 10.
Figure 12 shows the lever c actuated by two connecting rods p, p¹, taking hold
of two pins in the wheel b p², is a plate fixed on the floor for carrying the lever c
which slides upon it. In this arrangement as in the two immediately preceding
the lever c takes hold of the carriage directly without the intervention of guide bars.
Figure 13, Sheet 2, is a plan of a method similar in principle to that shewn at
Figure 5, Sheet 1. The spur wheel o is half the size of the spur wheel b with which
it gears; an eccentric stud o' is fixed in the wheel o. The connecting rod o²
transmits motion from the wheel o to the fulcrum c¹ of the lever c.
The link or
lever o³ is for restraining the sideway motion of the lever C₁ and may be dispensed
with whenever the guide bars and antifriction bowl are not used. The relative
positions of the studs or crank pins in the two wheels b and o are arranged, so
that the motion of the carriage, may be made slower at starting and finishing,
and quicker in the middle by reason of the motion imparted to the fulcrum c¹.
Figure 14, Sheet 2, is a plan shewing a combination of levers for producing the
required variations of speed, and for bringing the point of attachment of the lever
to the mule carriage at or near the centre of the headstock. The lever c does not
take hold of the mule carriage as in the previous instances, but of an intermediate
lever; the slot in the lever accommodates the circular motion of the lever c, and
the varying position of the stud sliding in the slot gives the required variation in
the speed of the carriage. Many of the preceding methods of varying the
speed and of supporting the fulcrums of the levers may be combined with this
arrangement.
In Figure 15, Sheet 2, the simple connecting rod between the wheel b and the
lever e is replaced by a rod 8 with a slotted cross head s¹, the back end of which is
carried in runners 82. The slot & may be either curved or straight, as desired; the
enlargement or widening of the slot is to allow the crank pin to sweep well past the
centre after the carriage has run it, so that there may be no danger of sticking on
the dead centre, and that without very particular adjustment of the friction clutch.
Figure 16, Sheet 2, is a plan of an arrangement which may be combined with.
many of the foregoing methods. The levert is placed over the wheel b, and the
crank pin in b takes into a slot in the lever t. This motion is nearly identical with
one of the well-known quick return motions for shaping machines; Whitworth's
common eccentric quick return motion might be used in the same way.
Having now particularly described my Invention and means by which the same
is or may be carried into effect, I wish it to be understood that I claim as my
Invention.
First. The several methods of putting up the mule carriage with varying speed as
described above, and shewn in Figures 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 10, 13, 14, and 16, with
all simple modifications and combinations of the same.
Second. The two methods of supporting the fulcrum of the radial arm or lever by
means of rods or links, as described above, and shewn in Figures 11 and 12, and
combinations of them with any of the other methods described.
Third. The use of an eccentric bush for regulating the length of the connecting

page_text: rod in any of the arrangements described where a connecting rod is used, as shewn
at n², Figure 5.
Fourth. The method of strengthening the headstock by carrying the plate f
Figure 5, right across from back to front of headstock, as shewn.
In witness whereof, I, the said George Baxter, have hereunto set my hand
and seal, this Twenty-second day of February, One thousand eight hundred
and seventy-eight.
Witness,
JOHN SMITH RAWORTH,
Exchange Buildings,
Manchester.
GEORGE BAXTER. (L.S.)