Improvements in Self Acting Mules.
Year: 1895

page_text: Date of Application, 19th July, 1895-Accepted, 24th Aug., 1895
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Self Acting Mules.
I GARDNER CHANDLER HAWKINS of American House in the City of Boston,
County of Suffolk, State of Massachusetts one of the United States of America,
Consulting 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 :-
It is now the usual practice to drive self-acting spinning mules from a head
stock, which receives power by means of a suitable belt from shafting, the different
operations of the mule being derived from the head stock by various mechanisms,
the functions of drawing the carriage in and out being performed by means of
scrolls and ropes, or by racks and gearing, both of which are objectionable.
This results in a large and most complicated mass of mechanical details, taking
up much room, requiring a comparatively large amount of power, relatively to the
work to be performed, and by reason of the very large number of parts the first
cost of the mule is very great, and the running expenses caused by wear and tear,
mount up to an excessive yearly amount.
Variations in the timing of the different parts also causes improper stretching or
kinking of the yarn, so that the product is not uniform.
self
The many and varied operations and movements of parts necessary in
acting mule have heretofore precluded the simplification thereof, with a consequent
reduction in cost and necessary power to actuate it.
The essential operations of a self-acting mule are substantially as follows:-
Drawing the carriage in and out; rotating the spindles-mounted on the
carriage, to draw and twist or spin the yarn as the carriage is drawn out;
reversing the direction of rotation of the spindles for a few turns at the outer end
of the travel of the carriage during the "backing off;" rotating the spindles
the carriage is drawn in, to wind the yarn thereupon, the speed of rotation being
gradually decreased as the cops increase in size, and shaping the cop.
as
Inasmuch as the headstock is stationary, and the carriage continually moving in
one direction or the other as it is drawn in or out, the means for transmitting and
controlling the direction and speed of rotation to the spindles on the carriage, and
for causing the proper movements of the latter, must necessarily be extremely
complicated, and so much power is required to overcome the friction of the different
parts of the mechanism, composed largely of idlers, that considerably more power
is required to operate the mule than would be otherwise necessary, and the back-
lash and lost motion introduced by the complicated mechanism is a constant
source of trouble.
"
In my experiments and studies to simplify the construction of and to reduce the
power necessary to operate self-acting mules, and to increase its rapidity and
precision of operation, I have discovered that the head-stock, with its complicated
and cumbersome mechanism may be dispensed with entirely by transferring the
driving power directly to a self-propelling carriage, the rotation and control of the
spindles and their co-operating devices, and the "in" and " out movements of
the carriage, being controlled directly from the carriage itself. I am thereby
enabled to so reduce the number of necessary parts as to proportionally lower the
first cost of production, and to do away with the larger portion of the running
expenses, and, furthermore, I make the operation of the mule more positive and
direct than has heretofore been possible, obviating slip and back-lash, and the mule
can be run at a much higher speed than is now possible to produce good work.

page_text: The reduction of parts decreases the friction to be overcome, and thereby
requires less power to operate a mule constructed in accordance with my invention,
compared with the present self-acting mules known to me, spindle for spindle, and
as slip is avoided I am enabled to produce more uniform results with an increased
output.
In spinning or twisting yarn on a mule it is necessary to adjust the angle of the
spindles accordingly to the number of the yarn to be produced, but, so far as I am
aware, such adjustment must now be made, when the mule is inoperative, on one
section of spindles after another, the skill and judgement of the operator being
wholly relied upon to properly adjust the whole series equally, and as it is a long,
tiresome, and dirty job to properly adjust the spindles it is very frequently shirked
and neglected.
The adjustment is effected by moving the upper bearing or bolster rail relatively
to the lower bearing or step rail, the step bearings being cupped out sufficiently to
permit such movement of the spindles.
The spindle whirls are thus moved towards or away from the driving drum or
cylinder, and consequently the driving bands are slackened or strained, and it is
impossible to obtain uniform speed of rotation for the spindles, and as the mule
must remain idle during adjustment the output will be diminished.
I have herein provided means for so mounting the spindles that the entire series
at one or the other side of the carriage may be instantly and accurately adjusted
to any desired angle without changing the tension of the driving bands, and
without stopping the operation of the mule.
This is a most valuable feature, for in operating spinning-mules the
yarn wil!
often snarl on the spindles on account of the angles of the spindles being improperly
adjusted to the number of the yarn being spun, and by means of my invention the
attendant can regulate the angle until the yarn runs smoothly and properly.
So, too, a mule may be run one day upon one number of yarn, and the next
day it may be desired to run it on an entirely different number, and by the ready
and rapid adjustment I have provided, the mule can be changed whenever desired
from one to another number of yarn.
I have herein provided means for positively effecting the drawing out movement.
of the carriage at a uniform speed, and for running the carriage in with a positive
acceleration and diminution of speed, by simple and positively-operating mechanism
on the carriage itself, a common actuating shaft, hereinafter termed the motor-
shaft, being mounted on the carriage and continuously rotated at a constant
speed.
The devices for changing the direction of movement of the carriage at each end
of the stretch, so as to spin and wind alternately, act to connect the drawing-out
or the running in movements with the motor shaft, and such devices are
instantaneous in their operation and readily adjustable to conform to the various
conditions under which the mule should work on different kinds of yarn.
Many of the particular devices herein shewn and described are common to self-
acting mules now in use, and such parts I have not described in detail, confining
myself more particularly to those parts which form the gist of my invention.
Fig. 1, in side elevation, represents a self-acting mule embodying my invention,
the drawing or feed rolls being shewn in section and the carriage at its outermost
position, the track being broken out to avoid confusion.
Fig. 2, is a top or plan view of the carriage shewn in Fig. 1, broken out at each
side of the centre to save space, the creel and quadrant devices at opposite ends of
the stretch being omitted for the sake of clearness.
Fig. 3 is a front elevation of the carriage and parts shewn in Fig. 2 and likewise
broken out at the ends to save space, the longitudinal running in shaft being also
broken out at the centre of the carriage to more clearly show some of the parts
behind it.
Fig. 4 is a transverse sectional view of the carriage taken on the line x-x, Fig. 2,
looking towards the left.

page_text: Fig. 5 is a similar view of the carriage taken on the more
wards the right.
Fig. 6 is a diagrammatical view of a modified form of means for transmitting
ower to the carriage to be hereinafter referred to.
Fig. 7 is a transverse sectional view of the carriage taken on the line -³,
ig. 3, looking towards the left.
Fig. 8 is a side elevation of one form of builder rail.
Referring to Fig. 1 the creel frame A, to support a series of creels A¹, at one
nd of the apparatus, the quadrant B having a toothed segmental surface b, in
ngagement with a driving pinion &', fast on a rotatable shaft 2 mounted on a fixed
art of the frame A2 at the opposite end of the mule frame, and the central
ie-rod A³, shewn only in Fig. 1, may be and are all substantially as usual or
ommon in self acting mules, the creel frame being provided with suitable drawing
r feed rolls A', shewn only in section in Fig. 1, of well known construction and
riven in usual manner.
In Fig. 1 the fixed supports and bearings for the feed rolls have been omitted
for the sake of clearness, inasmuch as such parts are old and well known, they
forming no part of this invention.
A series of tracks t, t', Figs. 1 and 2, at each side of the longitudinal centre of the
mule frame, extend along the floor from front to back of the frame in parallelism,
the tracks t being arranged near the outer ends, and the tracks t¹ towards the centre
of the carriage, now to be described.
The carriage is very long in order to accommodate a large number of spindles,
and comparatively narrow, and it has a considerable weight to support, as will
presently appear, and in order to combine strength and rigidity with lightness
I have herein shewn the carriage as substantially a lattice girder, formed of two
oppositely turned angle-irons c, c¹, extending from each end of the carriage to a
point near the centre, the horizontal webs of the angle-irons being connected by
lattice plates c*, most clearly shown in Fig. 2.
The lattice girder thus formed is securely bolted to inner transverse truck
frames c, and adjustably to outer truck frames ¹, by means of screw bolts 20
passing through threaded ears 21 on the vertical webs of the angle-irons and into
truck-frames c, the latter being located substantially at the ends of the girder,
while the frames c³ are located towards the centre of the carriage and support the
interrupted ends of the girder, as it will be seen by reference to Figs. 1 and 2, so
that the girder proper is interrupted at the central portion of the carriage, to
support the operating mechanism thereat.
Shafts c and c are extended from one to the other of the outermost truck frames c¹,
and through the intermediate frames, at the front and back of the carriage, rotating
in suitable bearings in said frames, and having secured thereto preferably grooved
or flanged wheels T, T', which run upon the tracks t, t¹.
These shafts and their attached wheels are positively and independently rotated,
the shaft acting as the driving shaft when the carriage is running in and having
gradually accelerated and diminished speed, while the shaft c is positively rotated
at a uniform speed in the opposite direction, to move the carriage out, and it will
be hereinafter designated as the drawing out shaft.
The inner frames c³ are rigidly connected by suitable bolts to a centre plate or
casting C, which serves to not only rigidly connect the girders forming the two
ends of the carriage but also to form a support for the spindle operating mechanism,
to be described, and the clutches intermediate the motor shaft and the running in
and drawing out shafts.
A drum shaft D is extended from one end of the carriage to the other and is
supported in suitable bearings 5 and 6 at its outer ends and towards the centre of
the carriage respectively, the latter bearings being secured to the connecting
5plate C, and the said drum shaft, as herein shewn, passes through a motor M and
is additionally supported thereby, as will hereinafter appear..
The spindle driving drums or cylinders D¹ are suitably secured to and to rotate

page_text: with said shaft between the bearings 5 and 6 at each side of the centre of the
carriage, and bands D', shewn only in Figs. 1 and 2, are passed about the drums
to drive the whirls of the spindles S, each spindle preferably having its
own driving band, although a continuous band engaging all the spindles may be
used if desired.
As best shewn in Figs. 1, 3 and 4, the spindles S are mounted in a bolster
bearings, and a step-bearing s' in bolster and step rails y, y', respectively, secured
at intervals to yokes y* wbich are pivoted at y² to upturned standards y³, preferably
bolted to the vertical flange of the angle iron c, so that the entire series of spindles
at each side of the center of the carriage may be rocked on the horizontal pivots y
of the yokes in unison, as desired, it being evident that when the bolster bearings
are moved in one direction, the step bearings will be moved in an opposite direction
in unison and by a like amount, so that the angle of the spindles may be most
accurately adjusted as desired.
The whirls w are located opposite to the pivotal points of the yokes y*, so that
pivotal movement of the latter will not vary the tension of the driving bands D'
in adjusting the angle of the spindles, and consequently the speed of rotation will
be maintained uniform irrespective of the angle at which the spindles may be
adjusted.
To conveniently adjust the angle of the spindles, according to the number and
condition of the yarn to be produced, I have herein shewn the yokes as connected
by links y* to arms y on a longitudinal rock shaft y, two of such rock shafts being
shewn one at each side of the carriage and extended the length thereof.
Partial rotation of the rock-shafts in one or the other direction will, it is
obvious, adjust the angle of the spindles through the mechanism described, and any
suitable locking device may be used to hold the rock shafts and consequently the
spindles in adjusted position.
One such simple form of locking device is shewn in Figs. 1 and 2, the stationary
locking plate y being provided with a notched segmental periphery, one or other
notches of which may be engaged by suitable bolt y on an arm y fast to the
projecting end of the rock shaft, although it is obvious that any other suitable
locking device may be used in place thereof.
Obviously, all of the spindles at one or the other side of the centre of the carriage
will be adjusted simultaneously and by a like amount, by the adjusting mechanism
described, and that without stopping the operation of the mule, as it is sometimes
desirable to change the spindle angle while the mule is running in order to perfect
the operation thereof.
I have herein shewn the carriage as self propelled by means of an electric motor
supported on and moving with the carriage, the current being conveyed to and
from the motor by suitable wires 10 and 12, the coils in the wires being amply
sufficient to permit the travel of the carriage.
A motor having commutator brushes cannot, of course, be used ordinarily in a
spinning mill on account of the sparking, and I prefer to use what is known as the
Tesla Polyphase motor, such a motor being illustrated in the drawings, bolted
securely to the connecting plates C, the rotating member of the motor being
attached to a hollow shaft or sleeve m surrounding and adapted to rotate inde-
pendently of or with the drum shaft D, the hollow shaft or sleeve m being herein
termed the motor shaft.
The motor is in continuous operation, and consequently the motor shaft m will
also rotate continuously, and I have provided means for at times automatically
connecting the drum shaft to and to rotate with the motor shaft, and to disconnect
it therefrom, and also for transmitting the rotation of the motor shaft to the
drawing out and running in shafts cand e respectively.
The motor shaft or sleeve m has fast thereon a worm m¹ in engagement with a
worm wheel m², see Figs. 3 and 4 mounted on a shaft m³ supported in suitable
bearings on the plate C,.the said shaft m³ having fast thereon bevel gears n and o
at opposite sides of the worm.wheel.

page_text: Referring now to Fig. 2, the bevel gear n is in mesh with a like gear d, loose on
the drawing-out shaft c and having secured to or forming part of it one member,
as d', of a friction clutch, the other member d' of the clutch being mounted upon
the shaft to rotate therewith by being splined thereon, and longitudinally movable
thereon, all as is common in friction clutches of this character.
The hub d of the movable member of the clutch is engaged by a yoke arm d
see dotted lines Figs. 2 and 4, extended through a suitable opening in and pivoted
to the plate C, the lower end of the yoke-arm projecting below said plate acted
upon by a suitable actuator d' attached to the floor at the inner end of the travel
of the carriage, shewn in Figs. 2 and 4, and having an inclined operating face of
such shape as to throw the clutch d', d, into operative position to positively rotate
the shaft in the direction of the arrow 200, Fig. 2, when the drawing-out
movement of the carriage is to begin.
1
When the carriage reaches the outer end of the stretch it is necessary to unclutch
the shaft c from connection with the motor mechanism, and this is accomplished
by means of an actuator de, Figs. 2 and 4, in the path of movement of the lower
end of the yoke-arm d', the operating face of the actuator being turned oppositely
to the face of the actuator d³, as clearly shewn in Fig. 2.
The bevel gear o is in engagement with a smaller bevel gear o', mounted loosely
on a short shaft o², see Figs. 2 and 4, said gear being secured to or forming a part
of one member o³ of a clutch, to be engaged at times by the cooperating member of
of the clutch which is splined onto the shaft o² to rotate therewith and being
longitudinally movable thereon.
The member o is moved longitudinally into and out of engagement with the
member by means of a yoke-arm o³, best shewn in Fig. 3, pivoted in and
extended through the plate C and extended below the said plate to be engaged by
an actuator of on the floor of the room to throw the clutch o³, o, into operative
position, just after the clutch d', d, has been released, the momentum of the
carriage at each end of its travel being sufficient to cause one clutch to be thrown
in after the other is thrown out.
The shaft o² has fast thereon an elliptic gear 07, Figs. 2 and 4, in mesh with a
second elliptic gear o on an intermediate shaft o' mounted in the carriage frame,
said intermediate shaft having fast thereon a gear o in mesh with a pinion oll on
the running-in shaft c, so that rotation is transmitted to the said running-in shaft
through the elliptic gears o' and 08, the gear o¹0 and the pinion o¹¹.
The elliptic gears impart to the shaft ca slow rotation at the beginning,
gradually accelerating and diminishing the speed as the carriage is run in, the shaft
being rotated while running in the direction of the arrow 300, Fig. 2.
When the carriage arrives at the inner end of its travel the clutch o³, o, is rendered
inoperative by means of an actuator o", at the inner end of the path of movement
of the yoke-arm o, just before the actuator d³ throws the clutch d', d², into
operative position.
It will be seen from the foregoing description that the drawing out movement of
the carriage, away from the creel-frame will be a regular uniform movement, while
its movement toward the creel frame or running-in will be a variable one, gradually
accelerated to maximum speed and thereafter diminishing till it reaches the inner
end of its travel, and by adjusting the clutch actuators the timing of the travel of
the carriage can be regulated as may be necessary.
The motor shaft m, which rotates continuously with the armature of the motor M,
as herein shown, has fast thereon one member, as e, see Fig. 3, of a friction clutch
which may be of any suitable construction, but herein I have broken out the
member e of the clutcb to show an enclosed split ring e, normally surrounding the
drum shaft D loosely, said split ring being tightened upon the said shaft by means
of a lever e², see dotted lines Fig. 3, having an eccentric end mounted in the
member e to bear upon and at times compress the ringe upon the shaft, the lever +²
rotating with the clutch.

page_text: Rotative movement of the eccentric end of the lever compresses the split
ring e¹.
This clutch is of well known construction, and as it is not of my invention I do
not deem it necessary to show its construction in detail.
The lever is moved into operative position by means of a suitable cone e³,
loosely mounted on the drum shaft and longitudinally movable relatively thereto
by means of a lever e¹ pivoted at e to a stand on the plate C, the depending end
of said lever being engaged by a suitable cam-shaped actuator e, see Fig. 2, at the
inner end of the travel of the carriage, to move the clutch e, el, into operative
position to connect the motor shaft or sleeve m with and to rotate the drum shaft D
at full speed, so that during the drawing-out movement of the carriage, away from
the creel-frame, the driving drums D' are rotated at their highest speed to in turn
rotate the spindles S to spin or twist the yarns.
At the outer end of the travel of the carriage the clutch e, e' is thrown out of
operative position by a cam-like actuator e, see Figs. 2 and 3.
When the outward movement of the carriage is stopped the "backing-off," which
is the rotation of the spindles backwardly is then effected, prior to running-in, and
winding-on, the faller wire at the same time being depressed to be ready for
the winding-on and referring to Figs. 2, 3, 5 and 8 the backing-off operation will
now be described.
The shaft m³ is extended towards the front of the carriage, and supported
in a bearing m on the plate C, and a bevel gear m³ fast on the shaft is in mesh
with a similar gear me fast on an intermediate shaft m' rotatable in bearings 7.
A sprocket or other suitable wheel m³ fast on the shaft m', is connected by a
chain or belt m³ with a second sprocket m¹º, fast on a short shaft m" rotatable in
suitable bearing supports, and having loosely mounted thereon a gear m¹² in mesh
with a gear 12 fast on the drum shaft.
The intermediate shaft m' rotates continuously in the direction of the arrow 400,
Fig. 2, and by or through the intermediate connections the shaft mis rotated
continuously in the same direction as the rotation of the shaft m'.
Obviously, the loose gear m2 will be rotated by the gear 12 during the spinning
or twisting, but when the clutch e, e', is thrown out of operation the gear mis
temporarily clutched to the shaft m¹¹ to rotate the drum shaft D, and thereby the
spindles, backwardly, to effect the backing-off.
The hub of the gear m2 forms one member 13 of the clutch, the co-operating
member being splined to and longitudinally movable on the shaft m by an
operating lever m¹s pivoted at m16 and extended through an opening in the plate C,
as shewn in Fig. 3, to be engaged and moved by an actuator m, which is shaped
as shown in Fig. 2 to move the clutch into operative position at the end of the
stretch and back-off the spindles, the momentum of the carriage taking the lever m
beyond the end of the actuator so that the spring 10 will move it to release the
clutch, the spindles being then ready for the winding on.
When the carriage begins its travel towards the creel frame, and while running-in,
the drums D¹ are rotated by other mechanism now to be described, it being under-
stood that when running-in the drum shaft D is entirely disconnected from the
sleeve m by or through the clutch mechanism just described.
The quadrant B to regulate the winding on in usual manner, is driven by a band
or rope 4, see Fig. 1, secured at its ends to the carriage in any well known manner
at is, the said band passing around an idler 6 loose on the drawing roll actuating
shaft As, and rotating the actuating pinion by or through the pulley b* fast on
the shaft 2.
The usual sliding nut 17 of the quadrant is connected loosely with the winding
chain 3 in usual manner, one end of said chain being secured to the chain drum
the said drum being shown best in Fig. 2. as mounted on a portion of the motor
frame, said drum having attached thereto a gear in engagement with a gear
secured to or forming part of one member of the winding-on clutch, the other

page_text: sliding member of said clutch being actuated in usual manner through a lever b³,
controlled by the faller mechanism, to throw the clutch into operation at the
beginning of the winding-on and to throw it out of operation when the carriage has.
completed the running-in.
As best shown in Fig. 2, the member of the clutch is splined on an auxiliary
shaft 60, having fast thereon a gear 6", which is in mesh with a gear 6 fast on
the drum shaft D, and, as will be readily understood, the drum shaft will be
rotated when the carriage is running-in to wind the previously twisted yarn upon:
the spindles S.
The winding-on motion of the spindles S is thus attained while the carriage is
moving away from the sliding out of the quadraut at a speed greater than the speed.
of the nut.
The gain of the carriage over the quadrant nut thus gives motion to the spindles
in usual manner, and at the first wind on the bare spindle the quadrant nut will start
at a point near the bottom of the quadrant frame B.
At the next wind the speed of the cylinder should be diminished in proportion as
the yarn wound on in the previous wind has increased the diameter on which the
winding is now to be effected, and this is accomplished by the raising of the
quadrant nut, to give the proper spindle speed to wind on after each successive
draw.
The spindle speed is diminished at the beginning of each winding on until the
cone is formed, and then the winding-on motion is substantially uniform until the
full cop is formed.
The quadrant nut 617 is raised or lowered by rotation of the screw 617*, the
rotation being imparted thereto through bevel gears, not shown, and of well known
construction and forming no part of my invention, the actuating gear being secured
to and to rotate with a feed sheave a.
An endless cord a' is passed around the sheave a, then around an adjacent guide
pulley a², one portion of the cord or band being carried forward around an idler a³.
at the base of the creel frame, thence over an idler a' on the carriage and a
sheave a fast on a shaft a mounted rotatably in the carriage, and back to guide
pulley a².
As the carriage moves back and forth the shaft a will be rotated first in one
and then in the other direction by the cord a', and the feed sheave a will not be
rotated.
If, however, the rotation of the shaft a is stopped, the friction of the cord
passing around it will act to pull one side of the cord in the direction of movement
of the carriage, rotating the feed sheave a and through the intervening mechanism
the quadrant screw will be rotated to move the nut 67 thereon further from
the centre of rotation of the quadrant arm.
A toothed wheel or escapement a', is secured to the shaft as, to be engaged at
the proper time by a device, to be described, to thus stop rotation of the shaft aⓇ
and cause the quadrant nut 617 to feed along.
When the carriage is moving towards the quadrant, during the drawing out, the
quadrant chain 3 must be wound upon the chain drum b to take up the slack, and
to do this I have attached to the chain drum a preferably grooved pulley 620,
about which is passed, one or more times, a cord or band 62, fixed at one end to
the creel frame A, or otherwise, the said cord or band after passing around the
pulley 620 being led back over an idler 62 on the carriage and thence to the quadrant
support B to which it is secured, and it will be evident that as the carriage is
moved in one or the other direction, the chain drum 64 will be correspondingly
rotated by or through the band or cord 6 described.
When the carriage is running in, the quadrant chain 6 will rotate the drum 6*
in the direction of the arrow 600, Fig. 2, the band or cord 6" slipping around the
grooved pulley 620 more or less according to the speed imparted to the drum by the
chain, and when the carriage is drawing out, the cord 621 will rotate the drum in
the direction opposite to the arrow 600, to wind the chain thereupon.

page_text: The sleeve m has fast thereon a grooved sheave m² about which is wrapped one
or more times an endless band m³, shown only in Fig. 1; extending around an
idler me at one end of the travel of the carriage and also around a suitable
sheave m', adjacent the creel frame, mounted on a shaft m³, to which is adjustably
attached a friction disk m³ in engagement with the flat surface of a second friction
disk mo fast on an upright shaft m", provided with a bevel gear m", in mesh with
and to rotate the larger bevel gear m¹³ loose on the driving shaft of the drawing-
rolls A and connected thereto at times by a suitable clutch mechanism in usual
manner, as is common in self acting-mules.
By adjusting the friction wheel m³ towards or away from the centre of rotation
of the disk mo, the speed of the latter may be varied to vary the speed of the
drawing or feed rolls.
An arm is rigidly secured to and projects in front of the faller shaft f, and to
this arm is attached a chain f passed around an idler f³ mounted on a bracket f
on the standard 105 of the carriage, the chain passing thence to a drum K, which
is rotated during the backing-off by the shaft 610 by means of the usual click
motion within the drum K, the teeth thereof being so set as to engage only at
such time.
When the drum is this rotated it winds up the chain f2, and brings the faller
wire F down upon the threads W, depressing them towards the bottom of
the cops.
The arm is bent over rearwardly from the faller shaft at ' and the upper
end of the locking bar h is pivoted thereto, said bar being connected by a link h¹
to the bracket f*.
The lower end of the locking bar is provided with a shoulder adapted, when
the bar is lifted to swing over upon a suitable roller or other stud ³ on the
builder hs.
The faller being locked, the carriage begins to run in, and while the spindles S
wind up the thread on the cops the faller gradually rises as the builder runs down
the part 72 of the copping rail, shewn in Fig. 8.
The builder h has bearings in the carriage and is provided with a friction roll *
which travels upon the copping rail.
The copping rail may be of any usual or desired construction, and separately
considered forms no part of my invention, but in Fig. 8 I have shewn in elevation
a known form of copping rail.
Any usual counter-weight or spring may be applied to the faller shaft to lift it,
and to avoid confusion in the drawings I have omitted the same.
The cops are built up in successive stages, the range of the faller wire F
gradually increasing as the size of the cops increases by means of the copping rail,
the two-part rail 72, shown in Fig. 8, being hinged together and moved vertically
by the three inclines or wedges v, the wedges being connected by a rod you, and
actuated by means of a threaded rod z which operated in usual manner, and
engages an ear on one of the wedges.
When the spindles arrive at the drawing rolls A', the usual stop engages the
end of the locking bar and removes its shoulder 2 from engagement with
the builder, thereby releasing the faller so that the faller wire F rises clear of the
threads.
The faller wire F is carried by the sharply curved or sickle-shaped arms F¹,
between its ends, and by the end arms F2, attached to the faller shaft f, and the
counter faller wire G is carried by intermediate arms G¹, and end arms G² secured
to the counter faller shaft g, and during the winding the counter faller wire G
bears up constantly against the underside of the threads W, shown only in
Figs. 1 and 4, by means of the usual counter-balancing weight or spring, to
maintain the proper tension of the threads; during the spinning the counter faller
wire G is held up just beneath the threads but without touching them.
Both the arms F and G are shewn in the sectional views, Figs. 4, 5 and 7, and
in Fig. 1, but they have been omitted. in Figs. 2 and 3. to avoid confusion, and in

page_text: both of the latter figures the escapement controlling chain, the builder and the
locking lever have been omitted to avoid confusion.
As has been herein before referred to, the escapement wheel a' is adapted at times
to be stopped in its rotation to thereby, through the cord or band a', move the
quadrant nut 7 away from the centre of movement of the quadrant arm, as the
cops increase in diameter.
This stoppage of the escapement a' is effected, as herein shewn, by a latch a³ on
a lever a pivoted on the carriage and having a grooved roll or sheave a¹ thereon,
and a chain a" is connected at its ends to the arins F2 and G' above it, the latter
fast to the counter faller shaft, and passed about the sheave a
The depression of the counter faller towards the lower part of the cop allows the
latch as to drop into engagement with and stop the escapement wheel a', and as the
carriage runs in it drags the band or cord a¹ with it, turning the threaded rod 617*
to move the nut 617 outwards.
When the backing off motion ceases and the carriage begins to run in for
winding on the stretch of thread spun, the counter faller wire G is at its highest
position, to compensate for the additional length of thread uncoiled from the spindle
by the backing-off.
The nut is still in the same position on the quadrant arm as it was at the
conclusion of the winding of the previous stretch, while the diameter of the cop
has increased by the last winding, the winding of the new stretch commencing too
fast and begins at once to take up the thread given off by the backing-off.
The counter faller is thus immediately depressed and by means of the controlling
latch engaging the escapement wheel a causes the nut to be moved away from
the centre of the quadrant arm B until the speed of the winding is diminished
sufficiently to permit the counter-faller to rise high enough to withdraw the latch a
from the escapement wheel.
This movement is substantially the same or equivalent to that employed in self-
acting mules now in use, and is not of my invention.
From the foregoing description, it will be seen that the head stock has been
entirely dispensed with and that all the varied and more or less intricate movements
of the several mechanisms of the mule are operated from a motor on the carriage
by intermediate connections, and by dispensing with the use of scrolls, fast and
loose pulleys and belt shifters the time of operation of the different parts is greatly
reduced, the operations also being performed in a much more positive manner than
heretofore and with little or no slip or back-lash.
The motor on the carriage is in continuous, uniform operation while the mule is
running, and when using an electric motor of the Tesla Polyphase type there is
absolutely no generation of static electricity, which would be most objectionable,
and which is generated to so large an amount by the numerous belts and bands in
the self-acting mules now known to me.
I prefer the style of motor named on account of the absence of static electricity,
but my invention is not restricted thereto, and instead of an electric motor 1 may
continuously rotate the motor shaft on the carriage by means similar to that shown
in Fig. 6.
In said Fig. 6 the motor shaft R, which is mounted on the carriage and corresponds
to the rotating member of the electric motor, has secured thereto a grooved pulley R¹
around which is passed an endless band R2, the latter passing about a guide
pulley R at one end of the mule-frame, not shown, and about a pulley or sheave R+
at the other end, secured to and forming part of a belt pulley R³.
A belt R conveys power from any suitable source to and to rotate the belt
pulley R and sheave R* such rotative movement being transmitted to the pulley R¹
on the carriage, the latter being free to move forward and back, as described,
while its motor shaft R is constantly rotated in one direction.
My invention is not restricted to the exact construction and arrangement of parts
herein shown, as it is obvious that the same may be varied or rearranged without
departing from the spirit and scope of my invention.

page_text: Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said inven-
tion, and in what manner the same is to bei. performed, I declare that what !
claim is
1. In a self-acting mule, a carriage, a continuously running propelling motor
therefor mounted upon it, and connections between said 'inotor and a stationary
source of power, substantially as described.
2. In a self-acting mule the following instrumentalities, wiz. :-drawing rolls;
a carriage; mechanism thereon to move it towards and from the drawing rolls, and
common operating shaft for said mechanism, mounted upon the carriage,
substantially as described..
21
3. In a self-acting mule the following instrumentalities, cis. :-a spindle carriage;
running in and drawing out mechanisms thereon; a continuously rotating shaft on
the carriage; and clutch devices between and to connect said shaft with one or
other of said mechanisms, substantially as described.
4. In a self-acting mule, drawing rolls; a carriage; means thereon to move it
towards the rolls at a variable speed; means carried by and to move the carriage
away from the rolls at a uniform speed; a motor on the carriage; and connections
between said motor and the propelling means, to positively operate them,
substantially as described..
5. In a self-acting mule, a carriage; supporting wheels therefor and their
rotatable shafts, running-in mechanism on the carriage, including variable speed
gearing, to positively rotate one of said shafts; a. continuously rotating motor on
the carriage, and a clutch intermediate the running-in mechanism and the motor,
substantially as described.
6. In a self-acting mule, a carriage; supporting wheels therefor and their
rotatable shafts; running in mechanism on the carriage, including elliptic gears
connected to and to rotate positively one of said shafts; a continuously rotating
motor on the carriage, a clutch between the said gears and the motor, and means
to operate the clutch at the, inner and outer ends of the stretch, substantially as
described.
7. In a spinning mule, a carriage comprising laterally extended lattice girders;
a central connecting plate; supporting wheels, and shafts to which said wheels are
secured and rotatable in bearings on the carriage, substantially as described.
8. In a self-acting mule the following instrumentalities, viz. :-a carriage;
a propelling mechanism for and mounted upon the carriage; a spindle support on
the carriage; a series of spindles on said support, and means to adjust the support
to thereby simultaneously alter the angle of the series of spindles, substantially as
described..
9. In a self-acting mule, the following instrumentalities, viz. :—a carriage, means
to move it; a pivotally mounted spindle support on the carriage; a series of
spindles on said support; a spindle driving drúm'; connections between it and the
spindles, to rotate the latter, and means to swing the spindle support on its pivots
to adjust the angle of the spindles, substantially as described.
10. In a spinning mule, a carriage; a spindle support thereon, comprising a
bolster and a step rail; rigid connections between them; journals for said, support
adjacent the spindle whirls, and a series of spindles; combined with spindle driving
mechanism, and means to rock the support upon its pivots' to adjust the angle of
the 'spindles, substantially, as described.
11. In a spinning mule, a carriage; a drum shaft mounted thereon and extended
from one to the other end of the carriage, a motor on the carriage, and means to
connect or disconnect it and the drum shaft; combined with driving drums secured
to said shaft, a spindle support adjacent each drum, including a series of pivotally
mounted yokes, and a bolster and step rail, a series of spindles mounted in said
supports with their whirls opposite the pivots of the yokes, flexible connections
between the drums and spindle whirls, and means.to rock the supports 'to adjust the
spindle angle, substantially as described..

page_text: 12. In a spinning mule, a carriage; a drum shaft mounted thereon, and extended
from one to the other end of the carriage, a motor on the carriage and means to
connect or disconnect it and the drum shaft, combined with driving drums secured
to said shaft, a spindle support adjacent each drum, including a series of pivotally
mounted yokes, and a bolster and a step rail, a series of spindles mounted. in said
supports with their whirls opposite the pivots of the yokes, flexible connections.
between the drums and spindle whirls, means to rock. the supports to adjust the
spindle angle, and a lock to retain them in adjusted position, substantially as
described.
13. In a self-acting mule, a carriage; a motor thereon; a sleeve attached to
the rotating member thereof; a series of spindles mounted: on the carriage;
driving drums therefor; a drum shaft attached to said drums and extended through
the motor sleeve, and means to connect and disconnect said shaft and sleeve,
substantially as described.
14. In a self-acting mule, a carriage; a drawing-out and running-in shaft; an
electric motor mounted on the carriage; independent connections between the
rotating member of said motor and said shafts, a clutch in each of said connections
to throw the motor into operative connection with its respective shaft, and, means
to operate said clutches, substantially as described..
15. In a spinning mule, a carriage, comprising outer and inner truck frames; :
supporting wheels therefor; a central plate; and lattice girders connecting, the
said plate and truck frames, substantially as described:
16. In a self-acting mule, a carriage propelling mechanism thereon, spindle
driving mechanism, including a drum; a continuously: rotating, operating shaft or
sleeve on the carriage means to connect it to and to rotate the drum while the
carriage is drawing out; backing-off gearing driven by the operating shaft, a
clutch intermediate the backing-off gearing and the drum, and an actuator to move
the clutch into operative position at the outer end of the stretch, to back-off the
spindles, substantially as described.
17. In a self-acting mule, a quadrant, means to operate it; a carriage; propelling
mechanism mounted thereupon, to move it in and out; spindles and spindle driving
mechanism on the carriage; winding-on mechanism, including a drum and a
flexible connection between it and the quadrant; a clutch intermediate the
spindle-driving and winding-on mechanisms; a sheave secured to the drum, and a
flexible band or cord passing around the sheave and secured to the opposite ends of
the travel of the carriage, to rotate the drum as the carriage is drawing-out,
substantially as described.
18. In a self acting mule, drawing rolls; a carriage; a continuously rotating
operating member mounted thereon; connections including friction clutches,
between it and the running-in and drawing-out mechanisms, to propel the
carriage; and actuating means for the drawing rolls driven by said operating
shaft, substantially as described.
19. In a self-acting mule, the following instrumentalities, viz. :-a carriage, au
electric motor thereon having a continuously rotating member; running-in and
drawing-out mechanisms on and to move the carriage in one direction or the other;
and connections, including a clutch, between each of said mechanisms and the
rotating member of the motor, to be positively actuated thereby, substantially as
described.
20. In a self-acting mule, the following instrumentalities, viz.:-a carriage;
means to move it in and out; a series of spindles on the carriage; spindle driving
mechanism, a motor on the carriage, and connections between it and the propelling
means and the spindle driving mechanism, substantially as described.
21. In a self-acting mule, a carriage adapted to run in and draw out, propelling
mechanism therefor mounted upon it, and connections between it and a fixed source
of power, substantially as described.
22. In a self-acting mule, a carriage adapted to run in and draw out, and

page_text: propelling mechanism, including an electric motor, for and mounted upon the
carriage, substantially as described.
23. In a self acting mule for spinning the combination or arrangement and use
of parts so that all the various operations thereof are derived from an electric
motor mounted on or carried by said carriage, substantially as and for the purposes
set forth.
24. In a self-acting mule, a carriage; mechanism thereon to run in and draw out
the carriage; a continuously rotating operating member, and a spindle driving
shaft on the carriage, combined with a clutch intermediate said shaft and the
operating member, to rotate the spindles at times, and clutch controlling devices,
substantially as described.
25. In a self-acting mule, a spindle carriage; faller mechanism, and a backing-off
motion, on said carriage; connections between said backing-off motion and the
faller mechanism to depress the faller during the backing-off; and a motor on the
carriage to actuate the backing-off motion, substantially as described.
26. In a self-acting mule, a spindle carriage; a faller shaft thereon; a locking
lever connected to the shaft; a builder mounted in the carriage, and a copping rail
to control the builder, combined with a motor on the carriage, and connections
between said motor and faller shaft, to turn the latter and move the locking lever
into engagement with the builder, substantially as described.
Dated the 10
1005
WM. BROOKES & SON,
55 & 56 Chancery Lane, London, Agents for the Applicant.