Improvements in Automatic Silk Reeling Machines.
Year: 1887

page_text: Date of Application, 30th June, 1887.
Specification Accepted, 2nd Sept., 1887
Improvements in Automatic Silk Reeling Machines.
I, EDWARD WILLIAM SERRELL junior, Civil engineer, of New York, United States,
temporarily residing in Chabeuil, Department of the Drôme, France 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 :-
This invention relates to that class of automatic silk reeling machinery in which a
magazine or cocoon-holder is employed to contain the prepared cocoons and to deliver
them from time to time to a lance bout, or filament attaching device, in order to
maintain the thread at the desired size; and the object of the invention is to provide
a means by which several lance-bouts and in consequence several threads, may be fed
from a single magazine.
In automatic silk reeling machines as heretofore constructed by me it has been
necessary to provide a magazine or cocoon holder with its appartenant parts for each
thread reeled in the machine. By the use of my present invention one magazine is
employed to feed several threads, so that economy of cost is realised, space is saved
and therefore a larger amount of work performed than by machinery of equal size and
cost constructed in the manner heretofore practised. This improvement is also
valuable because as the running threads may be placed quite near to one another the
attendants are not obliged to move so great a distance in order to tie up the broken
ends of a given number of threads. Another advantage of my present invention is
that when a single magazine or cocoon holder supplies cocoons to several threads, it
is more rapidly emptied than in the case of magazines supplying but a single thread
each, and this more rapid emptying diminishes the risk of drying or otherwise
deteriorating the cocoons while in the magazine.
In the drawings:
Fig. 1 is a plan of the reel and fig. 1ª a plan of the reeling basin, with the relative
positions of the magazine, the lance-bouts or filament attaching devices, and the
general features of the distributing devices; the drums, and in general those parts of
the regulating devices which in practice are placed over the basins, are not shown.
Fig. 2 is an elevation of the side of the table nearest to the reel, showing the
outlines of the magazine, the distributing apparatus, and the lance-bouts or filament
attaching devices.
Fig. 3 is a plan of the device employed to grasp the filament of a cocoon at the

page_text: magazine, and to hold it while being drawn towards and delivered to any one of the
lance-bouts served by the same magazine; the support of this device, constituting a
travelling carriage, is also shown.
Fig. 4 is an elevation of the parts shown in plan in fig. 3.
Fig. 5 is a diagram in plan showing the movement of the traversing earriage as
produced by devices acting in combination with the general feed mechanism in the
manner which I prefer to employ.
Fig. 6 is a diagram in plan showing the action of the distributing pincers acting in
combination with one of the electrically controlled stops, so as to bring the pincers
up to the corresponding lance-bout in the manner which I prefer to employ in
connection with my present invention.
Fig. 7 is a diagram of the electric currents showing the disposition which I prefer
to employ in connection with my present invention.
Fig. 8 is a diagram in plan showing the positions of the stops used for controlling
the pincers which distribute the filaments to the different lance-bouts, and of the
pincers acting in combination with one of the stops.
Fig. 9 is an elevation of part of the mechanism employed to work the movable stops
by which the distribution of filaments is regulated.
Fig. 10 is another view of the parts shown in Fig. 9.
Fig. 11 is a plan and fig. 12 is an elevation of the same parts as are shown in fig. 9,
but shown when they have assumed a different position.
Fig. 13 is an elevation and fig. 14 is a plan of special parts used in combination with
the stop of that lance-bout which is nearest to the magazine.
Fig. 15 and 16 are diagram elevations of special parts used in combination with the
stop and lance-bout farthest removed from the magazine.
Fig. 17 is a diagram section showing the manner in which I prefer to close the box
containing the stop mechanism, so as to protect the parts from humidity.
Fig. 18 is an elevation showing the devices by which the distributing apparatus is
set in motion, in combination with the general feed apparatus.
Fig. 19 is an elevation showing the devices by which the general feed apparatus is
set in motion.
Fig. 20 and 21 are an elevation and plan showing the devices by which the magazine
is made to advance one step each time the general feed apparatus is set in motion.
Fig. 22 and 23 are front elevations of details connected with fig. 18 and 19.
The invention consists essentially in the combination with the magazine in a silk
reeling machine, of a travelling or oscillating distributing apparatus adapted to the
work of delivering cocoons or filaments of cocoons to several lance-bouts, together
with arrangements for ensuring the delivery from time to time of a filament to the
proper lance-bout in order to maintain the regularity of the respective threads.
Combinations are also provided to ensure equal distribution, to prevent the too rapid
delivery of filaments to any one lance-bout and to put the apparatus as a whole, and
in each of its elements, into proper working relation with the other parts of an
automatic silk reeling machine.
The reeling basin B (fig. 1 and 2) is supported by a table T in a position relative
to the reel which is shown in Fig. 1.
The lance-bouts or filament attaching devices L, of which four are shown in the
fig. 1" and 2, are suspended above the reeling basin B from the frame work indicated
by the dotted lines in Fig. 2 and are revolved as described in my United States
patents Nos. 334619 and 334620 of January 19, 1886. This frame work is also
supported by the table T.
The magazine M which may be either a magazine to be filled by hand, as described
in my United States Patent No. 320709 of June 23, 1885, or a self filling magazine,
as described in my application for a patent for the same of even date herewith, is
placed over one end of the basin B see fig. 1ª.
A traversing carriage 4 fig. 2, 3 and 4 may be moved to and fro from a position
under the magazine, to any position requisite for the delivery of a filament to any one of
the lance-bouts, by carrying it on a slide or on a lever, or in any other convenient way.

page_text: Preferably 1 cause this traversing carriage to move along slides & & supported by
the table T above the basin B, as shown in Fig. 1 and 2.
This travelling carriage remains near to the magazine as long as all the threads
of the basin are sufficiently strong and a pair of pincers, which are carried by it,
hold a filament coming from a single cocoon in readiness to be supplied to any one
of the threads running from the lance-bouts of the basin, as soon as either of these
threads requires strengthening.
When any one of the threads requires to be strengthened by the addition of a
cocoon filament, an electric contact is closed by means of any suitable devices adapted
to that end. When such a contact is closed the carriage is made to move in such
a way as to deliver the filament held in readiness, to the lance-bout of the weak
thread, to return to its place near the magazine, to grasp the filament of another
cocoon and to come to rest in readiness to repeat the operation for the same or any
other thread in the basin B.
The general movements of the carriage and the pincers carried by it may for
convenience of description be divided into three categories.
First. A to and fro movement of all the parts of the carriage across the basin, back
of the lance-bouts.
Second. A swinging motion of the pincers upon the carriage, which permits the
former to approach a given lance-bout, and deliver the filament, and
Third. The opening and closing of the pincers.
The to and fro movement is to take place whenever a cocoon is needed for any
thread in the basin, and the pincers should open and close so as to grasp a fresh
cocoon filament at the termination of each return movement. The swinging motion
of the pincers whereby the filament is brought within reach of a lance-bout is
determined for each thread by a movable stop acting in combination with the feeding
devices of the particular thread to which it corresponds.
at u.
In the automatic silk reeling machine patented to me in the United States of
America, January 19, 1886, No. 334618, it is shown how a contact lever see h,
fig. 7 of the annexed drawings, falls and establishes an electric circuit when a thread
requires a new cocoon filament. It is shown hereinafter how, when this circuit is
established, the electric current first passes through the distributing magnet O, fig. 7
and after being broken, is then made to pass through the commutator el fig. 7 of the
main electric mechanism and the magnet i of the same main electric mechanism.
To set in motion the distributing apparatus and the general feed apparatus, I prefer
to employ the following details: In fig. 19, el is the commutator of the main electric
mechanism and in fig. 18, i is the magnet of that mechanism corresponding to e¹ and i
in fig. 7. In fig. 18, j is a shaft which is kept in constant revolution at a fixed speed
by the motive power employed to drive the whole machine. To this shaft is keyed
the pinion which engages with another pinion o mounted on a radial arm s pivotted
A spiral spring tends to cause the pinion o to hear against the gear
wheel w, but admits of its yielding, when necessary, while the end of the radial
arms is prolonged, so as to rest at a upon the upper surface of the angle of the
frame y and thus prevent the pinion o from being pressed too far forward. The
pinion o revolves opposite a gap in the teeth of the gear wheel w which is loose
on its shaft A, which shaft A is also free to revolve in its bearings and is the
same shaft as the shaft A of fig. 2. An arm fig. 19, 22, and 23, in which there
is a slot, is keyed to the shaft A and a peg E is carried by the gear wheel w which
peg works in this slot. A catch H, fig. 18 on one side of the gear wheel w rests
upon a plate Q attached to the lever Z which is pivotted at 11 and has a weight 12
attached to its horizontal arm which tends to keep its upper arm in a perpendicular
position. is the electro-magnet of the main electric mechanism and feed apparatus.
13 is its armature which by the weight 14, on the arm projecting from it at right
angles, is made to bear lightly upon the inner surface of the upper arm of the lever Z.
This projecting arm of the armature has a screw thread fitting into the weight 14 so
that the pressure of the armature on the lever Z may be correctly regulated.
In fig. 19, 20, & 21, 15 is the upright shaft of the feed apparatus which is fitted at

page_text: its lower end with a commutator e' fig. 19 & 7. This shaft, by means of the bevil
pinions 16, 16 shown in fig. 19, of which 16' is keyed to the shaft A and 16 to the
shaft 15 makes a complete revolution with each revolution of the wheel w fig. 18 & 19
and with each revolution, causes the magazine M fig. 2 to make a movement and
bring forward a fresh cocoon. This movement of the magazine may be preferably
produced as follows: the magazine is supported by a disk 17 shown in fig. 20,
which turns freely on an axis 18 held at an angle to the axis 15 of the general
feed apparatus by an arm 30 attached to the frame by which the axis 15 is
supported. A gear wheel 19 fig. 20 & 21 is fixed on the lower part of the hub of
the magazine supporter 17. The upper end of the axis 15 of the general feed
apparatus carries a cam 20 with a tooth 21 fig. 20 & 21. This tooth, at each revolu-
tion of the shaft 15 engages in the teeth of the gear wheel 19 and causes this wheel
and with it, the magazine supporter 17 and the magazine borne by the latter, to
revolve one step. Another cam 22 fig. 21, is fixed to the axis 15 of the general feed
apparatus. A locking bar 23 fig. 20 and 21 is pivotted on an axis 24 also supported
by the frame of the axis 15.
A spiral spring 25, fig. 20, forces one arm of the locking bar 23 to bear upon
the face of the cam 22 and to follow its movement. The other end of the locking
bar 23 forms a hook 26 fig. 21 which engages in the teeth of the gear wheel 19
and which, when so engaged, locks the magazine and prevents it from turning.
The full lines in fig. 21 show the positions of the cams, of the tooth 21 and of the
locking bar 23 when the magazine is at rest. The dotted lines in fig. 21 show the
positions of these parts when the revolution of the axis 15 has unlocked the magazine
and the tooth 21 has become engaged with the teeth of the gear wheel 19 and is
about to communicate a movement of rotation to the magazine.
Whenever a new cocoon is required by a thread, the electric current is made to
pass, as before stated, and as is hereinafter fully explained, through the commutator e¹
fig. 7 and 19 and through the magnet i fig. 7 and 18.
The armature 13 fig. 18 is attracted and now presses upon the inner surface of the
upper arm of the lever Z fig. 18 with sufficient force to raise the weight 12 fig. 18 at
the end of the horizontal arm of that lever and cause the lever Z to pivot on its
axis 11 thereby releasing the catch H on the side of the gear wheel w from the
plate on which the catch H rested. The gear wheel to is so weighted that the
moment the plate Q is withdrawn from under the catch H, the wheel w begins to
revolve. The gap in the teeth of the wheel w passes from in front of the pinion o and
that pinion engages in the first teeth of the gear wheel w and causes it to make a
complete revolution. As the wheel w revolves by its own weight, the peg E carried
by it moves in the slot of the arm from the position in full lines to that in dotted
lines, fig. 23; when the peg strikes the end of the slot and is in the dotted position, it
forces the arm to move with the wheel to and thus causes the shaft A to revolve. It
is evident that when the wheel w has completed a revolution and come to rest, the peg
will be again at point shown in full lines fig. 23 and the arm will be in the position
shown by the dotted lines in fig. 23, i.e. the arm and shaft A will not have com-
pleted a revolution by the radial angle 27 A 28: 28 A 29, for the arm did not
begin to revolve until the wheel w had already revolved to that extent, but the
pressure of the cam ffig. 2 on the friction roller c on the end of the crank a causes the
shaft A to complete its revolution and brings back the arm to its first position. By
means of the bevil pinion wheels 16 16¹ shown in fig. 19, the shaft 15 of the feed
apparatus is at the same time caused to make a complete revolution. As this shaft 15
revolves, the commutator e' revolves, the electric current is broken, the armature 13
is no longer attracted by the electro-magnet i and no longer presses upon the lever Z
with sufficient force to overcome the weight 12. The upper arm of the lever Z is
again brought into a perpendicular position by the action of the weight 12 and the
plate Qis in position to intercept the catch Hand arrest the movement of the gear
wheel w by the time it has completed its revolution and the gap in its teeth is again
opposite the teeth of the pinion o. In fig. 18 and 19, F is the cord or chain shown
in fig. 2.
=

page_text: The parts then all remain at rest till the want of a new cocoon again sets them in
motion.
To produce the to and fro movement of the carriage 4, fig. 2, 3 & 4, I prefer to
employ the details shown in fig. 2 and 18.
A crank a, fig. 2, is attached to the shaft A and moves and comes to rest with it;
that is to say the crank a makes a revolution each time the feed motion of the
magazine is put in movement. This crank a is widened at one point and furnished
with two pegs or projections and b¹.
A second crank d is loose upon the shaft fig. 2 and free to move back and forth
between the pegs and . To this loose crank d is attached a cord, belt or chain F
h
passing over a pulley G' and attached at its other end at 8 fig. 3 to the jaw 5 of the
pincers carried by the traversing carriage 4. The fixed crank a is provided near its
extremity with a friction wheel c working on the can f, which is made to bear upon
the friction wheel c by a spring which may be placed on the axis of the cam f.
While the parts are at rest, the catch 7 of the cam prevents the loose crank d
from yielding to the stress in the cord or chain F and turning in the direction shown
by the arrow, but when the shaft A begins to revolve, the friction wheel cupon the
fixed crank a depresses the cam and the catch g, thus liberating the loose crank d.
A counterweight Y is attached to the carriage 4 in a manner to be hereinafter
described and solicits the carriage as a whole, away from the magazine. When
therefore the loose crank d is freed from the catch y, the carriage is drawn away
from the magazine by the counterweight. Y. The peg or projection serves to
check a too rapid movement of the loose crank d.
It is evident that the stress of the counterweight Y will cause the carriage to move
across the basin somewhat in advance of the time taken by the shaft A to make a
half revolution; when the parts will be in the position shown by the dotted lines
in Fig. 2.
As the shaft A continues to revolve, the projection 6 on the fixed crank a strikes
the crank d and causes it to continue to revolve, thus drawing in the cord or chain F
and restoring the parts to their first position as the revolution of the shaft A is
completed.
It will be noticed that the carriage is drawn towards the magazine by a positive
motion, but that its motion away from the magazine M is determined only by the
counterweight Y. It is therefore evident that it, the carriage, may be stopped
opposite any lance-bout, if an obstacle is presented to its motion while it is moving
away from the magazine. In this case, a slacking of the cord or chain F allows the
loose crank to continue its revolution and pass the centre, when by the continued
revolution, the slack in the cord or chain F is taken up and the carriage then drawn
back to its position of reposo near the magazine.
For the purpose of stopping the travelling carrriage 4 opposite any given lance-
bout and delivering the filament of cocoon, I prefer to employ the following
combinations.
A box P fig. 1 and 2 is placed in a suitable position near the guides G G on which
the carriage moves. From this box, stops I I I I fig. 2 project and are preferably
in the form of cranks so that they may be brought into or withdrawn from the path of
the carriage and the pincers which it carries. These stops are actuated by mechanism
within the box, and to be hereinafter described.
Fig. 3, 4, 5 and 6 show the carriage and the pincers carried by it; 1,1,2 are
friction rollers running on the guides G G of fig. 1 and 2. 4 is the frame of the
carriage. D is a jaw hinged upon the carriage by the stud 6. The piece 5 is a jaw
hinged upon the jaw D, by the stud 7. The cord or chain F attached to the loose
crank d is also attached to the jaw 5 at a point marked 8 in fig. 3 & 5. The cord or
chain Y attached to the counterweight Y is attached to the jaw D at a point
marked 9. A stud 10 limits the movement of the jaw D'upon the carriage in one
direction, but it is free to swing in the other except in so far as the tension of the
cords or chains F & Y' tend to keep the system in the position shown in full lines of

page_text: the fig. 3. The jaw 5 closes against the jaw D as shown in full lines, but a pressure
applied to the tang 51 will cause it to open, as shown in the dotted lines, fig. 3.
When the carriage 4 is being drawn towards the magazine M and just before the
pincers reach their position of repose (fig. 3) the jaw 5 strikes a fixed stud 3 attached
to the frame of the inachine. The continued tension of the cord F causes the carriage
to keep on advancing towards the magazine while the tang 5' is arrested by the fixed
stud 3; the jaw 5 is therefore made to open as shown in dotted lines in fig. 5. As
the tang becomes oblique by the opening of the jaw, it slips past the stud 3 and the
pincers then close as they come to rest owing to the tension of the said cord F. In
an application of even date herewith, a filament of a cocoon is so placed as to be
seized by the pincers in closing at this time.
In Fig. 5 the carriage 4 and pincers are shown in full lines at the position of
repose near the magazine, and after having grasped the filament of cocoon which is to
be given to a thread. When the loose crank d begins to revolve, the cord F slackens
and allows the counterweight. Y acting through the cord Y to draw the carriage 4
along the guides G G. When the tang 5' of the jaw 5 strikes the fixed stud 3, the
result of the forces acting upon the system is to press the jaw 5 against the jaw D
and to cause the pincers as a whole to swing into the position shown in dotted lines at
the right of fig. 5. The result is that the pincers are held closed while the tang of
the jaw 5 is sufficiently obliqued to allow it to pass the stud 3. By reason of the
shape and disposition of the parts, the pincers, when they have passed the stud 3,
again assume a position parallel with the guides G G. aud as the carriage 4 is drawn
across the basin B, the pincers carry with them the filament which however is not
brought within reach of any lance-bout until the pincers are stopped and again
thrown into an oblique position as is to be described hereinafter. It is to be observed
that the cords or chains Y¹ & F are attached to the pincers in such position that the
tension existing in the cords or chains keeps the pincers closed with sufficient force to
hold firmly the filament of the cocoon. I prefer to provide the jaws of the pincers
with rubber, cloth, leather, pitch or other elastic or adhesive substance so as to cause
them to hold the filament securely.
If, while the pincers are thus being carried along the guides G G, an obstacle is so
placed as to strike the tang 51 of the jaw 5, then the jaw 5 presses against the jaw D,
and the pincers as a whole rotate upon the stud or axis 6 and the jaws are thrown
into the position shown in dotted lines at the left of fig. 5. It is evident that such an
obstacle may be a movable stop controlled by the feed circuit of a particular thread,
and so placed that when struck by the tang of the jaw 5, the jaws 5 and D will be
thrown into position to deliver the filament to the corresponding lance-bout Las
indicated by the above mentioned dotted lines.
Fig. 6 shows in full lines the pincers in position to deliver a filament to a lance-
bout L, the latter being shown in dotted lines. The movable stops which I prefer to
employ consist of studs, or pins placed at the extremities of cranks which are mounted
upon the ends of vertical shafts projecting downward from the box P, figs. 1 and 2,
and so placed that the stops may be placed in and withdrawn from the path of the
tang 5 of the jaw 5 by the partial rotation of the upright shafts. There is provided
such a stop, with its corresponding shaft and mechanism within the box P for
operating it, for each lance-bout, and in consequence, for each thread. This mechanism
is controlled by electro magnets and electric circuits which, for each lance-bout except
the two end ones of a series, are preferably arranged as follows:-(fig. 7) At the
upper end of the shaft R is a double commutator CC. The commutator (" is closed
as long as the stop is back out of the reach of the tang 5 of the pincers which
distribute the filaments. When the contact is closed by the falling of the contact
lever described in my United States Letters Patent 334618 of January 19,
1886 which happens whenever the particular lance-bout connected with this contact
lever has need of a cocoon by reason of the thread of that lance-bout becoming too
weak, the current passing through W WW2, the commutator C, through W W
through the distributing magnet O, through W, the contact lever h, through W
and W, completes the circuit and causes the distributing magnet 0 to act. The

page_text: result is, that, by the operation of a mechanical motion hereinafter explained, the
shaft R is rotated and its stop I thrown out, so as to stop the traversing carriage 4
and pincers. The double commutator CC rotates with the shaft, opens the com-
mutator and closes the commutator C. The current now passes through W W'X',
the commutator CX2 X³, the commutator e¹ of the main electrical mechanism of the
basin through X, through the magnet i of the main electrical mechanism and X' thus
completing the circuit and putting the main electrical mechanism in action.
In fig. 8 the plan of the box P containing the mechanisin actuating the stops is
shown in dotted lines as also the position of the lance-bouts. It will be seen from an
inspection of this figure, that the stops corresponding to lance-bouts for which a
filament is not required remain in such a position that the tang 5' of the pincers
passes them, as is indicated in dotted lines near the stop I. When a cocoon is
required for a given lance-bout as for instance L', the stop is swung out, by the
rotation of its shaft into the position shown in dotted lines at N as is hereinafter
explained by the mechanism of the box P. The tang 5¹ of the pincers then strikes it,
the pincers are obliqued as shown in the figure, and at the same time the stop itself is
slightly moved by the pressure of the tang 5' into the position shown in full lines
at I in the figure. This motion is utilized to produce a further action of the internal
mechanism of the box P at the time of the delivery of the cocoon to its corresponding
lance-bout L', as will be hereinafter explained.
While the pincers are held against any stop by the chain or cord Y¹ attached to the
counterweight Y, the parts remain in the position shown in the figure in full lines,
but as the pincers are again drawn towards the magazine, the stop is released and
falls into the oblique position as shown at I, I I³ fig. 8 free of the path of the tang of
the pincers, until another cocoon is required for its corresponding thread.
Any convenient and suitable mechanism may be employed to work the stops
I, I 13 but the details which I prefer to employ are as follows:-Within the box,
a longitudinal shaft S fig. 9-10 is kept in constant revolution at a fixed speed by the
motive power employed to drive the whole machine. To this shaft are keyed the
pinions n fig. 9-10. These pinions engage with other pinions n' mounted on radial
arms r, so that these pinions are kept in constant revolution at a fixed speed. A spring /
tends to keep the radial arms in a fixed position, but yields slightly when necessary.
When the stop mechanism is not in motion; the pinions revolve in front of a gap in
the gear wheel provided for each of the stops of the system. These
wheels J are
mounted on shafts U which are free to revolve in their bearings. When no cocoon is
needed, a catch"¹ fig. 10 on one side of the wheel J reposes on the armature of the
electro magnet which is the distributing magnet 0 of fig. 7, and the gap m in the
wheel is opposite the pinion as shown in fig. 9. When the thread corresponding
to a particular stop becomes too fine, an electric circuit is closed, by means described
in patents previously issued to me.
gear
1
This circuit passes through the distributing magnet O fig.
and the latter being
thus excited attracts its armature thus releasing the catch of the wheel J. The
latter is so weighted as to begin to turn slightly so that its tooth t engages with a
tooth of the pinion n' which, as has been said, is in constant movement. The wheel
is then partly rotated until the gap m comes to be opposite to the pinion n', the
wheel J then again comes to rest.
t
On the wheel J is a cam K fig. 9 to 12 and on the upright shaft R is a stud V
and the relative position of the parts is such that when the wheel J is being moved
by the engaging of the teeth fig. 9, to 12 with the teeth of the pinion n', the
cam K presses against the stud V on the upright shaft R and causes a partial
revolution of the shaft, as will be readily understood from the drawings fig. 9 to 12.
As the teeth are about to disengage from the teeth of the pinion n', the point of
the stud V comes to a notch in the cam K and arrests the movement of the wheel J
at the proper point. This partial rotation of the shaft R turns the commutator C
attached to it, and thereby closes the circuit which controls the general mechanisin of
the machine for supplying additional cocoons which is hereinafter called the general
feed movement as has been described (see fig. 7) and starts the carriage and the

page_text: pincers to move across the basin B. But it has been explained that the rotation of
the shaft R causes the stop I attached to it to come within the path of the tang 5' of
the pincers. It therefore happens that the pincers in traversing the basin strike the
stop and deliver the filament to the corresponding lance-bout in the manner described.
It is however to be observed that the motion of the cam K the shaft R and the stop I
above described, which may be called the setting of the stop, may happen while the
pincers are engaged in delivering a filament to another lance-bout; in this case the
stop merely remains set until the pincers have served the other lance bout, have
returned for a fresh filament and brought it to this stop. And further, if the stop is
set at a moment when the carriage is between it and the end of the basin furthest
from the magazine, then the pincers, on their return movement towards the magazine,
can pass the set stop being merely opened as was described for the fixed stud 3 fig. 3.
When the tang
of the pincers strikes the set stop, the latter is rotated somewhat
by the pressure of the tang, so that the end of the stud V is released from the notch q
on the cam K. The wheel J then being free from any obstruction, turns slightly by
means of its own weight, and the tooth 2 engages with the pinion n'; this causes the
wheel to continue its revolution until the catch" again reposes on the armature of
the magnet O. In the meantime, the pincers have remained against the stop until the
cord or chain F is wound in by the continual revolution of the crank a fig. 2. The
pincers are then drawn back to the magazine and the stop released. It is then
immediately returned to an oblique position, free of the path of the pincers, by the
action of the spring fig. 9 to 12, and the revolution of the wheel J is completed
and all the parts of the stop mechanism return to their position of repose. The
time of revolution of the gear wheel J is so arranged that while it is being com-
pleted the new filament will not only have been added to the thread, but the
beginning of the part of the thread thus strengthened will have been carried past
the measuring apparatus by the time that it is complete. Otherwise the stop
would be reset and another cocoon added without necessity, thus damaging the
regularity of the thread.
To ensure regularity of action, it is preferable that the stops corresponding to
the two end lance-bouts of a basin should be arranged somewhat differently from
the others.
As to the stop nearest the magazine, the following modifications are advantageously
employed.
Instead of placing the commutator directly upon the upright shaft R it is mounted
upon a hollow sleeve R¹ fig. 13 and 14 and a second stud V₁ fig. 14 is attached to
this sleeve. A spring tends to keep this stud pressed against the cam K of the
wheel J; it therefore happens that the stud V, the sleeve R' and the commutator C
move in accordance with the shape of the cam, although the stop of the shaft R may
be held by the tang of the pincers for a very considerable part of the revolution of
the wheel J. The object of this disposition is to ensure the breaking of the circuit of
the general feed apparatus at C³ (fig. 14) some time before this latter has completed
its revolution, which would not otherwise happen, as the pincers remain against the
stop, until the cord or chain F is nearly all wound in by the completion of the revolution
of the crank d, fig. 2.
The positions of the commutator C, fig. 13 and 14 are as follows for the different
positions of the gear wheel J. When no cocoon is needed, the commutator is closed
for the circuit from the measuring apparatus through the magnet O as has been
explained, and is in the position shown at C fig. 14. When the stop at the end of
the shaft R is thrown out, the commutator is moved so as to close the circuit of the
general feed apparatns, as shown in full lines at C³ fig. 14; but as soon as the stud V is
freed from the notch q on the cam K by the striking of the tang 5' against the stop,
as has been explained, then the wheel J begins again to revolve, and the spring
forces the stud V1 to follow the shape of the cam K. The shape of this cam K is
such that as the wheel J revolves and the part of the cam marked k k¹ (fig. 13) passes
the stud V, the commutator takes the position marked in fig. 14, so that neither
circuit is closed. As the revolution is continued, and just before the catch reaches

page_text: the armature the depression in the cam marked 2 passes under the stud V' and the
commutator again closes the circuit of the measuring apparatus in the position marked
in dotted lines at C' fig. 14. As to the lance-bout and stop which are the furthest
removed from the magazine, it is evident that if a fixed stop were placed opposite to
this lance-bout and the measuring apparatus were put in direct electrical connection with
the general feed apparatus, a cocoon would be brought to the lance-bout when the
circuit was closed, because, there being no other lance-bout beyond, the carriage and
pincers could be always stopped in front of this lance-bout when not stopped in face
of any of the others.
But were this one, an important element of regularity would
be lacking, because after delivering one cocoon, the pincers would return to the
magazine before the added thread would have had time to pass the measuring
apparatus. In this case, as the circuit would still be closed, the feed apparatus would
be again put in motion and the pincers would bring another and unnecessary cocoon
to this lance-bout.
To avoid this inconvenience, the disposition shown in fig. 15 and 16 may be
employed. The measuring apparatus is connected electrically directly with the magnet
of the general feed apparatus, but the circuit is made to pass through a commutator (
placed upon a gear wheel J. This gear wheel has some of its teeth cut away so as
to form a gap and while no cocoon is needed, this gap remains in front of the pinion
which is in constant movement in the same manner as the pinions n n of the other
stops. The gear wheel J is kept in this position by the pressure of the commutator
blades e, e, and by a stud V upon the upright shaft R of the stop I, which stud holds
a catch upon the wheel J. The position of the stop is the same as that of the other
stops when thrown out.
When a cocoon is delivered to this lance-bout, the pressure of the tang 5' causes
the stop to slightly rotate, the stud is freed from the catch f', the pressure of the
commutator springs ce causes the wheel to begin to revolve, and the tooth t engages
with the tooth of the pinion n'. The continued revolution of the wheel J breaks the
circuit at 3 and this circuit is not reestablished until the wheel J' has nearly completed
its revolution.
The parts composing the stop motion mechanism which has been described are more
easily injured by humidity than the other parts of the machinery of the filature, and
in order to protect them, I prefer to employ the devices shown in diagram, in fig. 17.
In this figure, P3 represents the platform or base on which the stop parts rest and
which forms the bottom of the box or case P of the other figures.
Around the edge of this base P3 is cast or made an oil channel Pi and the lid
or cover of the case when in place dips into oil placed in this channel, so as to
make a joint.
At the points where the upright shafts R pass out of the bottom of the box,
the same principle is employed. A channel Pe for oil is made around the hole
through which the shaft R passes, and a collar P7 fitted to the shaft R is made
in the form of a tube, open below, but fitted to the shaft at the upper end. The
lower, open end of this tube plunges in oil placed in the channel, and thus secures
a joint which is proof against the entrance of humidity in a manner too evident to
require further description.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said invention
and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what I claim, is:—
1st. In an automatic silk reeling machine, a distributing apparatus provided with
a to and fro motion for distributing the filaments to different threads, substantially
as and for the purpose described.
2nd. In an automatic silk reeling machine, the combination with the magazine
or cocoon holder, of a distributing apparatus provided with movable jaws or pincers
for grasping and delivering the cocoons to different threads, substantially as and in
the manner described.
3rd. In an automatic silk reeling machine, the combination of a magazine, the

page_text: lance bout, and movable stops by which the filament may be directed to the proper
lance-bout, substantially as and for the purpose described.
4th. In an automatic silk reeling machine, the combination of the electric circuits
from the control or measuring lever with magnets for working movable stops for
different lance-bouts, substantially as and for the purpose described.
5th. In an automatic silk reeling machine, the combination of the mechanism
actuating the movable stops with commutators for the feed circuit, substantially as
and for the purpose described.
6th. In an automatic silk reeling machine, the combination of the cam K, the
stud V, the gap wheel J and the spring pinion n', so that the revolution of the
wheel will operate the movable stop, substantially as and for the purpose
described.
7th. In an automatic silk reeling machine, the combination of the slotted arm =
fast on the shaft A the pin E, and the weighted gear e, substantially as and for the
purpose set forth.
Sth. In an automatic silk reeling machine, the combination of movable stops for
causing cocoons to be delivered to corresponding lance-bouts, with cut out devices
and commutators arranged so as to prevent a too rapid delivery of a second cocoon
to the same thread, substantially as and for the purpose described.
9th. The combination of the movement of the traversing pincers, with the general
feed movement of an automatic silk reeling machine, so that the traversing pincers
will be put in motion when a cocoon is required for any lange-bout, substantially as
described.
the
10th. The combination in one or more of the movable stops, of the stud V1,
commutator G, the cam K, the shaft R. and the spring, substantially as and for the
purposes described.
11th. The combination with one or more of the movable stops, of the cut out
wheel, the commutator and the stop I, substantially as described.
12th. The combination of the stop the shaft R, the stud V and the spring », so
that the stop I will leave the path of the pincers on being released after the delivery
of a filament, substantially as subscribed.
13th. The combination with the case of the stop movement of oil channels for
preventing the entrance of humidity substantially as described.
Dated this 29th day of June 1887.
DAVEMANY e CAN
ON
Agents for E. W. Serrell, junr.