IMPROVEMENTS IN MACHINERY FOR SPINNING AND TWISTING FIBROUS MATERIALS
Year: 1869

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to William Robert Lake, of the "International
Patent Office," No. 8, Southampton Buildings, Chancery Lane,
in the County of Middlesex, Consulting Engineer, for the Invention
of "IMPROVEMENTS IN MACHINERY FOR SPINNING AND TWISTING FIBROUS
MATERIALS." A communication from abroad by Thomas Mayor, of
Providence, Rhode Island, United States of America.
Sealed the 7th May 1869, and dated the 11th March 1869.

page_text: and assigns, Her Royal Letters Patent for the same, and have made
solemn Declaration that it has been communicated to me from abroad.
by Thomas Mayor, of Providence, Rhode Island, United States of
America.
NOW KNOW YE, that I, the said William Robert Lake, do hereby
declare that the following Complete Specification, under my hand and
seal, fully describes and ascertains the nature of the said Invention, and
in what manner the same is to be performed, in and by the following
statement, reference being had to the accompanying Drawing, making a
part of this Specification:―
The first part of my Invention relates to a new construction of the
spindle and means of driving the bobbin whereby I am enabled to
reduce the length of the spindle and its extent of traverse; and it also
relates to so combining the bobbin with its spindle and bolster that
perfect steadiness of movement is secured for the bobbin at all positions
of the lifting rail. Incidental to these improvements are other important
advantages relating to the arrangement of the machine which will be
hereafter stated.
DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS.
Figure 1 is an end view of a portion of my machine; Figure 2 is an
elevation of one of the spindles and its bolster; Figures 3, 4, and 5 are
views of the peculiar bobbin employed; Figures 6, 7, and 8 are sectional
views of the flyer.
A (Figure 1) represents a portion of the frame; a, a, are feeding rollers
for delivering the roving b to the flyer B. The spindle is shewn at C,
and upon a larger scale in Figure 2. It is stepped at e (Figure 1) in a
foot rest D, projecting from the lifting rail E, which rail, it is to be
supposed, is made to traverse by any suitable mechanism in one of the
ways in use. The spindle is peculiar in its construction in this way :-
Its upper end is furnished with a square F and flange d, in order to provide
a means for driving the bobbin by the application of the driving power
to its upper instead of its lower end. It is not essential that this precise
form should be given to the end of the spindle and any mechanical
construction which will effect the driving of the bobbin at this point will
allow the Invention which results from such application of the driving
power to be employed. The spindle is mounted in a long stationary
bolster or tube G, which may be cast in one piece with the yoke H,

page_text: which latter is firmly bolted, as seen in Figure 1, to a girder I, running
from end to end of the frame. The bobbin J is of the usual length, but
its axis is bored out to fit the bolster while its head is closed all but a
square opening into which the squared end of the spindle fits. When
the bobbin is placed upon the spindle its head will rest upon the
flange d, and be supported by it while its lower end (the bobbin being
longer than the portion of the spindle above the bolster). will take a
bearing against the outside of the bolster, as seen at Figure 1, and there-
fore encase both the spindle and the end of the bolster.
The necessary result of this method of driving the bobbin and com-
bining it with the bolster is to ensure almost perfect steadiness of move-
ment to the bobbin, notwithstanding that it is made to traverse to the
extent of its length past the end of the flyer arm by the movement of
the lifting rail, there being at all times a bearing for it at both of its
ends. As an incident of this manner of constructing the bobbin, nearly
all dust and particles of cotton are excluded from entering the bolster in
consequence of the protection which the bobbin affords.
The spindle is driven by the bevel wheel K, which engages with the
wheel K', connected with the spindle by means of the long feather e,
fitted to slide through the hub of the wheel K' as the spindle is lifted
and lowered by the traverse rail E. This arrangement for giving
motion to the spindle enables the driving gear K to be mounted upon a
shaft (Figure 1), extending from end to end of the frame and elevated
above the foot bearing of the spindles, and in front of such spindles.
Consequently the height of the machine by this change in the customary
location and arrangement of the driving gearing is materially reduced,
and the usual raised platform for the operative to stand upon to reach
the bobbin is dispensed with. Moreover, this arrangement of the driving
gearing greatly simplifies the structure of the machine, is easily accessible,
not readily deranged, and is peculiarly adapted to a machine employing
a double row of spindles.
Another improvement relates to the construction of the flyer. The
neck of the said flyer is constructed with the usual axial hole, and also
with two lateral orifices, one above the other in opposite sides of the
neck leading into the axial hole as heretofore practiced.
My said
improvement consists in connecting the axial hole through the neck of
the flyer with the lower one of the two orifices through the side of the
neck by a slit g. The object of this is not only to make it more con-

page_text: venient for the operator to piece up broken ends either from above or
from below but also to act as a tell-tale in case the roving has not been
properly conducted to the flyer by being inserted into the axial hole,
then led through the uppermost of the two lateral orifices, and then
wound partially around the outside of the neck and inserted into the
lower orifice, as it should be in order to ensure its being properly twisted.
So long as the roving is conducted to the flyer in this path the slit g will
not produce any effect, but if by neglect the roving has not been put
through both holes as described it will work into the slit and be instantly
broken.
. I also construct the bow of the flyer, which is furnished with the tube
for delivering the yarn in connection with the presser to the bobbin, as
shown in section at Figure 8, that is to say, the tube is not made
throughout its length within the bow as heretofore, but is led along
the side thereof, commencing at a point say at X, Figure 1, and
continuing to the presser. The advantage of which construction is
that the yarn is made to run easily from the tube to the flyer instead
of making a sharp turn in its direction of travel, as it is required to do
upon leaving a tube of ordinary construction, and in consequence the
liability of breaking the yarn is diminished.
A further improvement consists in surrounding the neck of the flyer
at the upper bearing with a collar or bushing, which may be of cast
iron, mineral, glass, or other suitable material, and which is made
removable from the flyer, so that it can be readily replaced when it has
become worn.
The machine herein described can be constructed without radical
alteration to work either as a speeder or as a flyer frame; and speeders
of the old forms in use can be readily changed so as to employ the
means of driving the bobbin and the arrangement to ensure its steadiness
of movement above described.
Having thus fully described the said Invention, as communicated to
me by my foreign correspondent, I claim,
First. The method substantially as described of driving the bobbin J,
by combining such bobbin with the spindle C, constructed so as to drive
the bobbin by its head as herein set forth.
Second. The combination of the bobbin J, driving spindle C, and
stationary bolster or bearing G, substantially as described for the purposes
specified.

page_text: Third. Constructing the bobbin J to encase both the spindle and the
end of the stationary bolster G, and to be driven by the former, substan-
tially as described for the purposes specified.
Fourth. Constructing the flyer with a slit g, connecting the axial hole
in the neck of the flyer with the lower one of the two lateral orifices
entering the same, as described for the purposes specified.
Fifth. Constructing the delivery tube for the whole or a portion of its
length along the side of instead of within the bow of the flyer, in
combination with the presser, to effect an easier delivery of the yarn to
the latter, substantially as described.
Sixth. Driving the spindle C by means of the bevel wheel k upon a
transverse shaft arranged in front of the spindles and above the step rail
in combination with a bevel wheel k¹, connected with such spindle by
means of a feather or equivalent means for allowing the spindle to
traverse up and down through the hub of such gear, substantially as
described for the purposes specified.
In witness whereof, I, the said William Robert Lake, have
hereunto set my hand and seal, this Eleventh day of March,
in the year of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and sixty-
nine.
WILLIAM ROBERT LAKE. (L.S.)