IMPROVEMENTS IN MACHINERY OR APPARATUS FOR WINDING YARNS OR THREAD
Year: 1857

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to William Robertson and James Guthrie Orchar, of
Dundee, in the County of Forfar, North Britain, Engineers, and John
Menzies, of Ordie Mill, in the County of Perth, North Britain, Shuttle
Maker, for the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN MACHINERY OR APPARATUS
FOR WINDING YARNS OR THREAD."
Sealed the 7th August 1857, and dated the 27th February 1857.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said William Robertson,
James Guthrie Orchar, and John Menzies at the Office of the Com-
missioners of Patents, with their Petition, on the 27th February 1857.
We, WILLIAM ROBERTSON and JAMES GUTHRIE ORCHAR, of Dundee, in the
County of Forfar, North Britain, Engineers, and JOHN MENZIES, of Ordie
Mill, in the County of Perth, North Britain, Shuttle Maker, do hereby
declare the nature of the said Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN MACHINERY OR
APPARATUS FOR WINDING YARNS OR THREAD," to be as follows:-
This Invention relates to an improved arrangement of machineryor apparatus
for winding yarns or thread, such arrangement comprehending a simple self-
acting contrivance for varying the rotatory speed of the bobbin or other detail
receiving the yarn or thread, so as to give ita uniform surface velocity through-
out the entire period of winding, notwithstanding the variation in the quantity
or thickness of the yarn or thread upon the bobbin.

page_text: "
In practically carrying out this Invention according to one modification, it
is preferred to employ a long rectangular framing, carrying one or more rows
of spindles along each side. Each spindle is vertical,and receives the winding-
ou bobbin or other detail upon its upper end in the usual manner. The spindle
turns in bearings in the upper and lower arms of a bracket, jointed at its inner
end at or near the centre of the machine to the fixed framing,so as to turn upon
a vertical axis, and thus allow the spindle to move or be shifted laterally. The
spindle has fixed upon it near its bottom end a disc, by means of which it
is driven, this disc resting upon the circumferential edge of a disc fixed
upon a horizontal shaft running along directly below the several spindles.
The horizontal shaft is driven in any convenient way at a uniform speed, and
has fixed on it a driving disc for each spindle, the edges of the discs, if neces-
sary, being covered with leather or other suitable material to ensure a sufficient
frictional hold between them and the discs on the spindles to drive the latter.
It will be obvious, that in the arrangement described the rotatory speed of each
spindle will depend upon the distance from the centre of its disc of the point of
contact of the disc on the horizontal driving shaft, and this can be varied by
the lateral movement of the spindle. 'The requisite movement is effected as
the winding goes on by the winding-on action itself, each bobbin being
arranged to revolve with its side in contact with a stop or bracket fixed to the
stationary framing of the machine. It is the surface receiving the yarn or
thread which is in contact with the stop, and as the yarn or thread increases
in thickness upon the bobbin, this thickness inserting itself as it were between
the bobbin and the stop causes the bobbin to gradually leave the stop, and
the bobbin and spindle is thus gradually shifted laterally, thereby altering the
.point of contact of the discs, so as to reduce the rotatory speed of the bobbin
as its diameter becomes enlargod.
The yarn or thread is drawn off a reel or other detail placed in any con-
venient position, and is passed between the prongs of a guide fork carried by a
traversing bar, which moves up and down to equally distribute the yarn or
thread upon the bobbin in the usual way. It is preferred to make the
traversing bars on opposite sides of the machine balance each other, being
connected in such a way that one rises as the other falls, and vice versa.
Toreduce the friction of the yarn or bobbin against the stop, the latter may
carry a small antifriction roller, which will be turned by the action of the bobbin.
'The bobbin may be kept in contact with the stop by means of a light spring
applied to the bracket.
According to another modification, the bobbin may be arranged to turn
loosely upon a spindle fixed to a single-armed bracket, the driving disc

page_text: on the horizontal shaft acting directly upon the lower end of the bobbin, or
upon a disc or collar upon a tube carrying the bobbin, and turning loosely on
the spindle. The details of the arrangement may be considerably varied, but
the Invention consists essentially in causing the increase of yarn or thread upon
the bobbin to act on a fixed stop, so as to shift the bobbin, and thereby cause
the driving action to take effect on the spindle at various distances from its
centre or axis, and thus modify the rotatory speed' in accordance with the
varying diameter of the surface receiving the yarn or thread.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent, filed
by the said William Robertson, James Guthrie Orchar, and John
Menzies in the Great Seal Patent Office on the 20th August 1857.
WILLIAM
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, we,
ROBERTSON and JAMES GUTHRIE ORCHAR, of Dundee, in the County of Forfar,
North Britain, Engineers, and JOHN MENZIES, of Ordic Mill, in the County of
Perth, North Britain, Shuttle Maker, send greeting.
time
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her Letters
Patent, bearing date the Twenty-seventh day of February, in the year of our
Lord One thousand eight hundred and fifty-seven, in the twentieth of
year
Her reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give and grant unto
us, the said William Robertson, James Guthrie Orchar, and John Menzies,
Her special licence that we, the said William Robertson, James Guthrie
Orchar, and John Menzies, executors, administrators, and assigns, or such
others as we, the said William Robertson, James Guthrie Orchar, and John
Menzies, executors, administrators, and assigns, should at any, 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
MACHINERY OR APPARATUS FOR WINDING YARNS OR THREAD;" upon the condition
(amongst others) that we, the said William Robertson, James Guthrie Orchar,
and John Menzies, executors or administrators, by an instrument in writing
under our, or their, or one of theirhands 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.

page_text: NOW KNOW YE, that we, the said William Robertson, James Guthrie
Orchar, and John Menzies, do hereby declare the nature of our said Inven-
tion, and in what manner the same is to be performed, to be particularly
described and ascertained in and by the following statement in writing, refer-
ence being had to the accompanying Drawings, and to the letters and figures
marked thereon, that is to say:-
Our said Invention relates to an improved arrangement of machinery or
apparatus for winding yarns or thread, such arrangement comprehending a
simple self-acting contrivance for varying the rotatory speed of the bobbin or
other detail receiving the yarn or thread, so as to give it a uniform surface
velocity throughout the entire period of winding, notwithstanding the variation
in the quantity or thickness of the yarn or thread upon the bobbin.
In practically carrying out this Invention, according to one modification it is
preferred to employ a long rectangular framing, carrying one or more rows of
spindles along each side. Each spindle is vertical, and receives the winding-on
bobbin or other detail upon its upper end, and in the usual manner. The spindle
turns in bearings in the upperand lower arms of a bracket, jointed at its inner
end at or near the centre of the machine to the fixed framing, so as to turn upon
a vertical axis, and thus allow the spindle to move or be shifted laterally. The
spindle has fixed upon it near its bottom end a disc, by means of which it is
driven, this disc resting upon the circumferential edge of a disc fixed upon a
horizontal shaft running along directly below the several spindles. The hori-
zontal shaft is driven in any convenient way at a uniform speed, and has fixed
on it a driving disc for each spindle, the edges of the discs if necessary being
covered with leather or other suitable material to insure a sufficient frictional
hold between them and the discs on the spindles to drive the latter. It will be
obrious, that in the arrangement described the rotatory speed of each spindle
will depend upon the distance from the centre of its discof the point of contact
of the disc on the horizontal driving shaft, and this can be varied by the
lateral movement of the spindle. The requisite movement is effected as the
winding goes on by the winding-on action itself, each bobbin being arranged
to revolve with its side in contact with a stop or bracket fixed to the stationary
framing of the machine. It is the surface receiving the yarn or thread which
is in contact with the stop, and as the yarn or thread increases in thickness
upon the bobbin, this thickness inserting itself as it wore between the bobbin
and the stop, causes the bobbin gradually to leave the stop, and the bobbin and
spindle is thus gradually shifted laterally, thereby altering the point of contact
of the discs, so as to reduce the rotatory speed of the bobbin as its diameter
becomes enlarged.

page_text: The yarn or thread is drawn off a reel or other detail placed in any
convenient position, and is passed between the prongs of a guide fork
carried by a traversing bar, which moves up and down to equally distribute
the yarn or thread upon the bobbin in the usual way. It is preferred to
make the traversing bars on opposite sides of the machine balance cach other
being connected in such a way that one rises as the other falls, and vice versa.
To reduce the friction of the yarn or bobbin against the stop, the latter
may carry a small antifriction roller, which will be turned by the action of the
bobbin. The bobbin may be kept in contact with the stop by means of a
light spring applied to the bracket.
According to another modification the bobbin may be arranged to turn
loosely upon a spindle fixed to a single-armed bracket, the driving disc on the
horizontal shaft acting directly upon the lower end of the bobbin, or upon
a disc or collar upon a tube carrying the bobbin, and turning loosely on the
spindle.
The details of the arrangement may be considerably varied, but the Inven-
tion consists essentially in causing the increase of yarn or thread upon the
bobbin to act on a fixed stop, so as to shift the bobbin, and thoreby cause the
driving action to take effect on the spindle at various distances from its centre
or axis, and thus modify the rotatory speed in accordance with the varying
diameter of the surface receiving the yarn or thread.
And in order that our said Invention may be properly understood, we have
hereunto appended and shall now proceed to describe a Sheet of explanatory
Drawings, shewing in what manner it is or may be practically carried out.
Fig. 1 on the Sheet of Drawings is an end elevation of a winding machine
constructed according to our Invention; Fig. 2 is a side elevation of a portion
of the same machine; Fig. 3 is a plan of a pair of bobbins and their
vibrating frames; and Fig. 4 is a transverse vertical section of the machine.
Figs. 5 to 11 are enlarged views relating to the bobbin details, and will herein-
after be more particularly referred to.
The framing of the machine is of a long rectangular form in Plan, being
composed of the end standards A, which are connected by higher and lower
horizontal bars B, C, at the sides, two horizontal bars Dalong the central part,
and a central wooden beam E above the latter. To the beam E are attached
brackets F to carry the reels G, off which the yarn or thread to be wound
upon the bobbins His drawn. With this arrangement the reels do not occa-
sion the taking up of increased width by the machine. A row of bobbins H
is arranged along each side of the machino, and each bobbin is placed upon a
vertical spindle I, which turns in bearings in the upper and lower horizontal

page_text: bars of a frame J, contrived to swing or vibrate upon a vertical spindle K,
passed through the two central bars 1. Each spindle K acts as the centre
pin for two swinging frames J, one frame passing to cach side of the machine.
Each spindle I has fixed upon it near its foot a disc L, arranged to rest upon
the edge of a disc M, fast upon a horizontal shaft N, running along the side
of the machine and revolving constantly at a uniform velocity. By turning or
swinging the frame J upon its centre pin K, the disc L may be shifted, so as
to be acted upom by the disc M nearer to or further from its own centre, from
which will result an alteration in the rotatory speed of the disc L and its
spindle I, since this rotatory speed depends upon the distance from the centre
of the disc Lat which the edge of the disc M acts upon it. Thus, in Fig. 2
the discs L at a and b are represented as being driven quite close to their
centres; at c the driving disc acts at a greater distance from the centre of the
driven disc, and at the latter is driven near its edge, so that the rotatory
speed of the driven discs at a and b will be comparatively great, at c less, and
at d less still. By shifting the swinging frame J still more to one side than it
is at d, the disc L will be moved quite clear of the disc M, and the driving
action will consequently cease. The discs L are slightly bevilled at their
edges, and when they are shifted upon the edges of the discs M they are
thereby raised a little in their bearings, causing the weight of the discs L,
spindles I, and bobbins H to press upon the discs M, and thus insure efficient
driving contact. Upon the upper horizontal side bars B are fixed a numbor of
bracket stops O, one to each bobbin, and by means of those stops the rotatory.
speed of each bobbin is modified as the yarn accumulates upon it in such a
The
way that the
is drawn off the reels at a constant uniform rate.
yarn
stops O are bent, so as to clear the discs of the bobbins, and on commencing
to wind with any bobbin, the swinging frame J is shifted by means of the
handle P, so as to bring the spindle of the bobbiu against the stop. Each
stop O is directly over the driving disc M, so that the velocity of the sur-
face of the bobbin spindle in contact with the stop will be almost or quite the
same as the velocity of the edge of the driving disc M. As the yarn is wound
upon the bobbin each layer inserts itself between the bobbin spindle and the
stop, and as the latter is stationary, the former being free to move by the
swinging of the frame J, gradually leaves the stop, and thus gradually
removing the centre of the disc L away from the disc M, causes the former to
be driven with a gradually decreasing rotatory speed: The surface of the yarn
on the bobbin is always in contact with the stop, and its velocity is therefore
always the same as that of the edge of the driving disc M. The bobbins are
represented as being empty. in Fig. 1 at a, and b, Eig. 2, and at e, Fig. 3,

page_text: where the bobbin is represented with its top disc removed. At c, in Fig. 2,
the bobbin is represented as being about half full, whilst it is shown quite full
at d, Fig. 2, at /, Fig. 3, and in Fig. 4. The position of the disc L with
reference to the driving disc M thus depends on the thickness of yarn on the
bobbin, and the rotatory velocity depending on this position thus varies regu-
larly in accordance with the thickness of the yarn, and in such a way as to
cause the yarn to be drawn off the reel at a uniform rate when the stops o
are directly over the driving discs M, as represented in the Drawings. If the
friction of the yarn against the stop o is found to be too great, the stop may
be fitted with a small antifriction roller, as at Q, in Fig. 3, the rollor turning
and thus rolling on the yarn surface as the bobbin revolves. The bobbins are
all entirely independent of each other, whilst the common driving shaft N
always revolves at the same rate, and any one may be thrown into or out of
gear at pleasure. When a bobbin is full the swinging frame J is shifted by
means of the handle P to one side against a stop R, when the disc L will be
quite clear of the driving disc M. A fresh bobbin may then be substituted
and the frame be shifted back again without interfering with any of the other
bobbins.
In the machine represented in the Drawings the shafts N project at one
end beyond the end standard to receive bevil pinions S, by means of which
they are driven, these pinions being in gear with bevil wheels T, on a trans-
verse horizontal shaft U, carried in bracket bearings bolted to the end
standard. The shaft U carries fast and loose pulleys V to receive a belt from
an overhead driving shaft, and the belt is shifted by prongs on a rod W,
sliding in staples upon the end standard, and extending both ways, so as to be
shifted from either side of the machine. The yarns or threads in passing to
the bobbins are guided by forks X, between the prongs of which they run,
these forks being fixed to traversing bars Y, which are traversed up and down,
so as to distribute the yarn equally upon the bobbins. The bars Y slide in
slots formed in the end standards, and are jointed at each end to rods I,
passing down to the opposite ends of transverse levers, centred on stud pius in
the end standards, the whole being arranged so that one bar falls as the other
rises, and vice versa, the two bars thus counterbalancing each other. The
traverse movement is produced by a pair of "heart" cums i, fixed on a longi-
tudinal shaft j,and acting on the levers / through antifriction rollers k, which
are kept in contact with the cams by means of small weights Zhung to the
levers on that side. The shaft is carried in bracket bearings attached to
the end standards, and is turned by means of a worm wheel m upon its outer
end, and in gear with a worm n on the driving shaft U.

page_text: In Figs. 5 to 11 on the Sheet of Drawings is shown a variety of ways in
which the bobbin may be carried; all these views representing vertical sections
through the bobbin or disc which supports it.
In the arrangement shown in Fig. 5 the bobbin H rests upon a disc or
collar o fast on the spindle I, and is held firmly by a screw nut pupon the top
projecting end of the spindle. In the arrangement shown in Fig. 6 the bobbin
His carried round by a pin g fast in the disc or collar o. Several holes are
formed in the bobbin disc to receive the pin q, to reduce the wear on any one
hole, and to insure the pins entering a hole at once. Figs. 7 & 8 have reference
to the same arrangement, the bobbin being shown in place in the former and
removed in the latter Figure. In this arrangement, africtional driving hold
is obtained by splitting and opening the top of the spindle, as in Fig. 8, so that
when the bobbin is put on the spindle it closes the split parts, whilst their
tendency to open produces a pressure against the bobbin suflicient to carry it
round. In the plan shown in Fig. 9 the collar or disc o is covered with
leather or cloth, soas to drive the bobbin by friction, the adhesion of the bobbin
being rendered sufficient by means of small weights placed on the top of the
bobbin over the projecting end of the spindle. In some cases the weights may
be unnecessary,
when the arrangement will be as shown in Fig. 10. In all
these plans, wherein the bobbin is carried round by frictional hold, such fric-
tional hold may be so adjusted that on any entanglement or stoppage of the
yarn taking place it may be overcome by the strain of the yarn without break-
ing the latter, the bobbin remaining stationary notwithstanding that the
spindle continues to revolve. In the arrangement shown in Fig. 11 the
spindle I is firmly fixed in the swinging frame J, and the rotatory motion is
communicated to a disc and tube t, running loosely on the spindle and carrying
the bobbin H. The disc t rests on the edge of the driving disc M and carries
the bobbin round with it by means of a pin, or in any other convenient way.
Having now particularly described our said Invention, and the manner
in which the same is or may be carried into effect, we must observė, in
conclusion, that we do not confine or restrict ourselves to the precise arrange-
ments or details. which we have had occasion to describe or refer to,
as the essential elements of our Invention may be embodied under various
forms und modifications; but what we consider to be novel and original; and
therefore clain as secured to us by the herein-before in part recited Letters
Patent, is,-
First, the arrangement and construction of winding machines, wherein the
bobbins are each driven by means of frictional discs, the relative positions of
which are altered, so as to reduce the rotatory speed and maintain unaltered

page_text: the surface speed of the bobbin as the winding goes on, by the shifting of the
driven discand bobbin, caused by theincreasing thickness of the yarn or thread
on the bobbin acting against a stationary stop, as herein-before described.
Second, the system or mode of mounting the spindles of winding machines,
the bobbins of which are driven by means of frictional discs upon swinging or
shifting frames or supports, arranged in such a way in connection with a fixed
stop, that the action against the stop of the continually increasing thickness of
yarn on the bobbin shifts the bobbin with its spindle and driven disc laterally,
and, by thereby causing the driving disc to act on the driven disc at a gradually
increasing distance from its centre, causes the rotatory speed of the latter to be
gradually reduced, as herein-before described.
In witness whereof, we, the said William Robertson and James Guthrie
Orchar, on behalf of ourselves and the said John Menzies, have here-
unto set our hands and seals, this Seventeenth day of August, in
the year of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and fifty-seven.
WILLIAM ROBERTSON.
(L.S.)
JAMES GUTHRIE ORCHAR. (L.S.)
WILLIAM ROBERTSON.
(L.S.)
JAMES GUTHRIE ORCHAR. (L.S.)