IMPROVEMENTS IN THE CONSTRUCTION OF SERT-AUTENG MULES AND THEIR TOE S AND DOWERING CONTOR AND OTHER FIBROUS SUBSTANCES.
Year: 1872

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Samuel Platt, of Oldham, in the County of
Lancaster, for the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN THE CONSTRUCTION
OF SERT-AUTENG MULES AND THEIR TOE S
AND DOWERING CONTOR
AND OTHER FIBROUS SUBSTANCES.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Samuel Platt at the
Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on the
16th August 1872.
I, SAMUEL PLATT, of Oldham, in the County of Lancaster, do hereby
declare the nature of the said Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN THE CON-
STRUCTION OF SELF-ACTING MULES AND TWINERS FOR SPINNING AND DOUBLING
COTTON AND OTHER FIBROUS SUBSTANCES," to be as follows:-
---
This Invention is intended to be used as a substitute for the ordinary
"nosing motion" in self-acting mules and twiners, and its object is to
stop the revolution of the spindles instantly at the close of the "backing-
off" before the change is made for the "going in" of the carriage, and
tho "winding on " of the yarn. By these means no moro yarn is backed

page_text: off the spindles than is absolutely necessary, and the point or nose of the
cop is prevented from becoming loose or soft.
The Invention consists principally in the use of a ratchet wheel fixed
to or formed with the rim shaft or "rim block" in combination with a
click or ratchet lever, which is thrown into gear therewith, so as to lock
the "rim wheel" and thus stop the spindles by the action of the "second
change lever" or "backing off catch" on the "boot leg shaft." The
rutchet lever or click is so connected to the second change lever that it
is thrown into gear with the teeth of the ratchet wheel the instant that
the "backing off" is completed, and before the change is effected for
winding on.
"
This may be accomplished in different ways, in various forms or
arrangements of self-acting mules or twiners, but by way of illustration
I will point out what I consider the best way to apply my Invention to
what is known as a "Platt mule" or twiner, and it will be evident to any
practical mechanic that only a slight variation will be required to adapt
it to other forms of self-acting mules or twiners. Fixed to the boss of
the "second change lever on the "boot leg shaft" at the front of the
headstock I have a second lever projecting upwards, and having attached
to it a long rod, which extends through to the back of the headstock,
where it is provided with an inclined projection, which (when the rod is
thrust backwards by the lever) passes under a finger or catch attached
to the ratchet lever or click. This finger or catch is jointed so that it
gives way as the inclined projection passes under it. But just before the
completion of the "backing-off" the second change or "backing-off
lever is released, and a strong spring or weight acting on the lever
draws the long rod forward, and the inclined projection at its rear end
coming against the finger, which is rigid in this direction, raises the
ratchet lever or click into gear with the teeth of the ratchet wheel, and
thus instantly stops the rim wheel and prevents the spindles from making
any more turns backwards. As soon as the inclined projection has
passed the finger the ratchet lever falls out of gear. The third change
now takes place and the carriage immediately commences to "run in " to
the rollers and the spindles to revolve and "wind on
the yarn.
"
"

page_text: SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent,
filed by the said Samuel Platt in the Great Seal Patent Office on
the 15th February 1873.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, SAMUEL
PLATT, of Oldham, in the County of Lancaster, send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her
Letters Patent, bearing date the Sixteenth day of August, in the year
of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and seventy-two, in the thirty-
sixth year of Her reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give
and grant unto me, the said Samuel Platt, Her special license that
I, the said Samuel Platt, my executors, administrators, and assigns,
or such others as I, the said Samuel Platt, my executors, adminis-
trators, and assigns, should at any time agree with, and no others, from
time to time and at all times thereafter 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 THE CONSTRUCTION OF
SELF-ACTING MULES AND TWINERS FOR SPINNING AND DOUBLING COTTON AND OTHER
FIBROUS SUBSTANCES," upon the condition (amongst others) that I, the
said Samuel Platt, my executors or administrators, by an instrument in
writing under my, or their, or one of their hands and scals, should par-
ticularly 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 Samuel Platt, 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
following statement and accompanying Drawings (that is to say) :-
This Invention is intended to be used as a substitute for the ordinary
"nosing motion" in self-acting mules and twiners, and its object is to
stop the revolution of the spindles instantly at the close of the "backing-
off" before the change is made for the "going in" of the carriage and
the "winding on" of the yarn. By these means no more yarn is backed.

page_text: off the spindles than is absolutely necessary, and the point or nose of
the cop is prevented from becoming loose or soft.
"
The Invention consists principally in the use of a ratchet wheel fixed
to or formed with the rim shaft or "rim block" in combination with
a click or ratchet lever, which is thrown into gear therewith, so as to
lock the "rim wheel" and thus stop the spindles by the action of the
"second change lever or "backing off catch" on the "boot leg shaft."
The ratchet lever or click is so connected to the second change lever
that it is thrown into gear with the teeth of the ratchet wheel the instant
that the "backing off" is completed and before the change is effected
for "winding on."
Such being the nature and object of my said Invention for "Improve-
ments in the Construction of Self-acting Mules and Twiners for Spinning
and Doubling Cotton and other Fibrous Substances," I will now proceed
to describe more in detail the manner in which the same is to be or
may be performed or carried into practical effect, and in order that the
same may be clearly understood, I have annexed hereunto a Sheet of
Drawings illustrative thereof, and have marked the same with figures
and letters of reference corresponding with those in the following.
explanation thereof.
And I would here remark that my Invention may be applied in
different ways,
in various forms or arrangements of self-acting mules or
twiners, but by way of illustration I will point out what I consider the
best way to apply my Invention to what is known as a " Platt mule" or
twiner, and it will be evident to any practical mechanic that only a
slight variation will be required to adapt it to other forms of self-acting
mules or twiners.
.
Fig. 1 is a side view of so much of the headstock of a Platt's mule
(old pattern) as is required to show the application of my Invention
thereto, and Fig. 2 is a similar view showing the modification required
to adapt it to the more modern arrangement of the same mule.
Fig. 3 is an end view, and Fig. 4 a plan view on a larger scale of the
parts at the back of the headstock, and Fig. 5 is a side view still further
enlarged of the arrangement for lifting and releasing the catch lever.
a, a, is part of the headstock framing; b, b, the "boot leg" shaft;
c, c, the rim shaft; and d, d, the rim, wheel. Fixed to the boss of the

page_text: "
second change lever e, e, on the "boot leg" shaft b, b, at the front of
the headstock (or cast in one piece with it) I have a second lever f,f,
projecting upwards, and having attached to it a long rod 7, 7, which
extends through to the back of the headstock, where it is provided with
an inclined projection h, h, (see Fig. 5), which (where the rod g, g, is
thrust backwards by the lever f.f.) passes under a finger or catch i, i,
attached to the ratchet lever or click k, k, by a bracket 1, l. This finger or
catch i, i, is jointed, so that it gives way as the inclined projection h, h,
under it in the direction of the arrow. But just before the com-
passes
pletion of the "backing-off" the second change or "backing-off'
lever c, e, is released, and a strong spring m, m, or a weightacting on the
lever e, e, draws the long rod g, g, forward in the direction of the dotted
arrow, and the inclined projection h,.h, at its rear end coming against
the finger i, i, which is rigid in this direction, raises the ratchet lever or
click k, k, into gear with the teeth of the ratchet wheel n, n, which is
fixed on the rim block o, o, and thus instantly stops the rim wheel d, d,
and prevents the spindles from making any more turns backwards. As
soon as the inclined projection h, h, has passed the finger i, i, the ratchet
lever k, k, falls out of gear, the third change now takes place, and the
run in to the rollers, and the
carriage immediately commences to
"the yarn.
spindles to revolve and "wind on
"
To prevent accidents the long rod g, g, is not entirely rigid, but is
provided with a spring coupling q, q, in the centre.
It will also be seen, on referring to Fig. 2, that in the more modern
pattern of this mule as the motion of the second change lever e, e, is in
the reverse direction, the rod 9, g, is made in two parts connected
together by a lever r, r.
Having now described the nature and object of my said Invention,
together with the manner in which the same is to be or may be per-
formed or carried into practical effect, I wish it to be distinctly understood
that I claim as my Invention the use and application to self-acting mules
and twiners of a ratchet wheel, fixed to or formed with the rim block
or rim wheel in combination with a click or ratchet lever, which is
thrown into gear therewith just before the completion of the "backing
5 off," so as instantly to stop the rim wheel and prevent the spindles from
making any moro turns backwards, substantially in the manner herein-
before described, without confining myself to the precise arrangement,
shown and described, for throwing this catch or lever into and out of gear,

page_text: as that will be varied according to the particular pattern of self-acting
mule or twiner to which the Invention is to be applied.
In witness whereof, I, the said Samuel Platt, havo hereunto set
my hand and seal, this Thirteenth day of February, in the year
our Lord One thousand eight hundred and seventy-three.
of
Witnessed by
JOHN HUGHES,
Clerk to George Davies, O.E.,
Patent Office,
St. Ann's Square,
Manchester.
SAMUEL PLATT. (L.S.)