IMPROVEMENTS IN MULES FOR SPINNING COTTON, WOOL, AND OTHER FIBROUS MATERIALS
Year: 1876

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Aaron Metcalf, of Preston, in the County of Lancaster,
Engineer and Machinist, for the Invention of." IMPROVEMENTS IN MULES
FOR SPINNING COTTON, WOOL, AND OTHER FIBROUS MATERIALS."
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Aaron Metcalf at the Office
of the Commissioners of Patents on the 1st December 1876.
AARON METCALF, of Prestou, in the County of Lancaster, Engineer and Machinist.
"IMPROVEMENTS IN MULES FOR SPINNING COTTON, WOOL, AND OTHER FIBROUS
MATERIALS."
This Invention relates to apparatus employed in conjunction with the quadrant
of a spinning mule for regulating the position of the "nosing peg," and its con-
sequent action or pressure upon the "winding-on chain" during the operation of.
nosing" or finishing the upper end of the cop.
The required position of the nosing peg relatively to the "winding on chain" is
usually regulated by the operative in charge of the mule or by automatic attach-
ments known as "nosing motions," which are of more or less complicated character.
Now the object of my Invention is to produce a "nosing motion" of more simple
and durable construction than those heretofore in use. To the end of the quadrant
and pointing towards the mule carriage I attach a fixed or stationary screw
adjustable relatively to the quadrant by means of a slot through which a bolt or set
screw passes, and upon this fixed screw the "nosing peg" is fitted, so as to slide length-
wise thereon; a key or projection which enters a groove formed at one side of the
screw prevents the nosing peg from turning round upon it. The end portion of tho
nosing peg" through which the screw passes is made fork-like, or with a central
space to receive a ratchet wheel which is threaded to fit like a nut on the fixed
screw and rotates and travels thereupon, being so arranged as by its rotation to
give motion to the "nosing peg" lengthwise of the screw. The ratchet wheel is
rotated in one arrangement by a catch or pawl fitted to one side of a flat lever or
plate which works upon an axis or pin projecting from that end of the "nosing
peg" which is upon the fixed screw, the other end of the flat lever or plate being
so arranged as to come in contact with the "winding-on chain" a little before tho
nosing peg" is thereby lifted or pushed by the chain until the latter comes in
contact with the nosing peg. The amount of lift given to the flat lever or plate
tf
"

page_text: and of consequent rotation to the ratchet wheel can be determined by adjusting a
regulating screw provided for that purpose.
I have described only one arrangement for actuating the ratchet wheel, and that
by employing a lever to which motion is given by the " winding-on chain," but
other methods may be employed, as for instance, the catch or pawl may be so
arranged as to be worked by the "nosing peg" itself, without a lever, as described,
the nosing peg being allowed a certain amount of play axially by making the
groove wider than the key on the screw, thereby answering the same purpose as the
lever or plate above described.
A device for preventing the "nosing peg" from moving too far forward consists
of an angular projection placed near the end of the fixed screw, and arranged to
operate in conjunction with the regulating screw referred to.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent filed by
the said Aaron Metcalf in the Great Seal Patent Office on the 30th May
1877.
AARON METCALF, of Preston, in the County of Lancaster, Engineer and Machinist.
"IMPROVEMENTS IN MULES FOR SPINNING COTTON, WOOL, AND OTHER FIBROUS
MATERIALS."
This Invention relates to apparatus employed in conjunction with the quadrant
of a spinning mule for regulating the position of the "nosing peg," and its con-
sequent action or pressure upon the "winding-on chain" during the operation of
nosing or finishing the upper end of the cop.
21
"
"
The required position of the "nosing peg" relatively to the "winding-on chain
is usually regulated by the operative in charge of the mule or by automatic attach-
ments known as "nosing motions," which are of more or less complicated character.
Now the object of my Invention is to produce a "nosing motion" of more simple
and durable construction than those heretofore in usc. To the end of the quadrant
and pointing towards the mule carriage I attach a fixed or stationary screw
adjustable relatively to the quadrant by means of a slot through which a bolt or set
screw passes, and upon this fixed screw the "nosing peg is fitted, so as to slide
lengthwise thereon; a key or projection which enters a groove formed on one side
of the screw preventing the "nosing peg" from turning round upon it. The end
portion of the "nosing peg" through which the screw passes is made fork-like, or
with a central space to receive a ratchet wheel which is threaded to fit like a nut
on the fixed screw and rotates and travels thereupon, being so arranged as by its
rotation to give motion to the "nosing peg" lengthwise of the screw, The ratchet
wheel is rotated in one arrangement by a catch or pawl fitted to one side of a flat
lever or plate which works upon an axis or pin projecting from that end of the
"nosing peg" which is upon the fixed screw, the other end of the flat lever or plate
being so arranged as to come in contact with the "winding-on chain" a little before
the "nosing peg," and is thereby lifted or pushed by the chain until the latter comes
in contact with the "nosing peg." The amount of lift given to the flat lever or plate,
and of consequent rotation to the ratchet wheel, can be determined by adjusting a
regulating screw provided for that purpose.
I have described only one arrangement for actuating the ratchet wheel, and that
by employing a lever to which motion is given by the " winding-on chain," but
other methods may be employed, as for instance, the catch or pawl may be so
arranged as to be worked by the "nosing peg" itself, without a lever, as described,
the "nosing peg" being allowed a certain amount of play axially by making the
groove on the screw wider than the key, thereby answering the same purpose as the
lever or plate above described.
A device for preventing the nosing peg from moving too far forward consists of

page_text: an angular projection placed near the end of the fixed screw, and arranged to operato
in conjunction with the regulating screw referred to.
Fig. 1 of the Drawings shews in side elevation so much of a spinning mule as is
necessary to illustrate the mode of applying my improved "nosing peg" apparatus.
Figs. 2 and 3 are respectively side and end views of my improved apparatus
detached from the quadrant, and Fig. 4 is a plan of the apparatus.
The same letters of reference are applied to like parts in all the views.
In Fig. 1 my improved apparatus A is shown attached to the mule quadrant B
in place of the ordinary nosing peg attachment; C represents the " winding-on
chain;" D, the winding-on drum; and E, the mule carriage.
In Figs. 2, 3, and 4 a is the stationary screw adjustable relatively to the quadrant
by means of the screw bolt and nut b, grooved washer plates c, c, and slot d;
e represents the "nosing peg" fitted so as to slide upon the screw a, but prevented
from turning round upon it by means of the groove fand projection or key g. That
end of the nosing peg through which the screw a passes is made fork-like, with a
central space to receive the ratchet wheel h. The ratchet wheel his rotated by the
catch pin i fitted in the flat lever or plate (see Fig. 3) which works upon the axis
or pin projecting from the screw end of the nosing peg e, the other end of the
flat lever or plate j being so arranged as to come in contact on its lower side with
the winding-on chain, C is thereby lifted or pushed by the winding-on chain until
the latter comes in contact with the nosing peg c. In order that the flat lever or
plate may meet the winding-on chain C more squarely the platej is placed in an
oblique position, to compensate for the altered angle of the screw a relatively to
the winding-on chain in the position which obtains when the nosing peg is on the
point of contact with the winding-on chain C. The amount of lift given to the
flat lover or plate j, and of consequent rotation to the ratchet wheel h, can be
determined by adjusting the regulating screw e. To prevent the nosing peg from
being moved too far forward on the screw a the point of the regulating screw is
caused to travel in a groove m running lengthwise of the screw a, that end of the
groove furthest from the quadrant being formed with an incline plan n (seen best.
in Fig. 4) extending to the end of the screw a. When the point of the regulating
screw reaches the inclined plane n the lift of the flat lever or plate will be
gradually decreased at each stretch of the mule until it will at length be put
entirely out of action. This arrangement of groove and inclined plane answers the.
same purpose as the angular projection herein-before mentioned.
Fig. 5 shews a method of actuating the catch or pawl o and ratchet wheel / by
the nosing peg without the lever, as above described, the nosing peg being allowed
an amount of play axially by making the groove f wider than the projection or
key g on the screw (t.
By operating the nosing motion through direct contact with the winding-on chain
my improved apparatus has the following advantage over other automatic nosing
notions; that whereas the latter are actuated by levers or other independent
mechanism acted upon at each and every stretch of the mule, so that the nosing
peg is necessarily moving during the entire building of the cop, by my arrangement
on the contrary the nosing peg does not begin to move until required, that is to
say, until after the chain has been moved up the quadrant screw and the building
of the cop bottom has been completed, which is exactly the point at which the
action of a nosing motion is wanted.
Having now described the nature of my said Invention, and the manner
in performing it, I desire it to be understood that save and except as herein-
after mentioned I do not intend to claim any of the mechanical parts of the
apparatus herein-before shewn and described when taken separately and apart from
the combination or application thereof, in manner and for the purposes herein
described, but what I consider to be novel and original and therefore claim as the
Invention secured to me by the herein-before in part recited Letters Patent is as
follows (that is to say),-
1st. The employment of the stationary screw a affixed to the quadrant arm B

page_text: of the mule in conjunction with the travelling nosing peg c, as herein-before
described.
2ndly. The method herein-before described of operating by means of the winding-
on chain the apparatus for moving the nosing peg.
3rdly. The combination of parts constituting the improved apparatus constructed,
arranged, and operating as herein-before described and illustrated in the accompanying
Sheet of Drawings, for the purpose specified.
In witness whereof, I, the said Aaron Metcalf, have hereunto set my hand and
seal, this Twenty-eighth day of May, in the year of our Lord One thousand
eight hundred and seventy-seven.
AARON METCALF. (L.S.)