IMPROVEMENTS IN SELF- ACTING MULES
Year: 1856

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to William Kenworthy, of Blackburn, in the County of
Lancaster, Manufacturer, for the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN SELF-
ACTING MULES."
Sealed the 29th July 1856, and dated the 7th February 1856.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said William Kenworthy at
the Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on the
7th February 1856.
I, WILLIAM KENWORTHY, of Blackburn, in the County of Lancaster, Manu-
.facturer, do hereby declare the nature of the said Invention for certain "IMPROVE-
MENTS IN SELF-ACTING MULES," to be as follows:-
My said Invention consists in the application of a differential putting-up
motion, by which the putting up of the mule carriage is regulated, and the
momentum of the same gently subdued, and by which the practicable working
of the mule is much improved.
My said Invention is principally applicable to what are called "Smiths self-
acters," in which a mangle wheel and toothed heart are used for the putting-up
motion. It is desirable that the rate of putting up and the relative speed of
drawing out the stretch of yarn should be capable of easy change to suit
different counts of yarn, which cannot be done by the present arrangement
without considerable trouble and expense. In order to overcome this difficulty,
instead of the said toothed heart I use two cone pullys or drums, fixed in
reversed positions on two shafts, with a strap or belt passing over them, so that

page_text: as they revolve, the said strap or belt moves gradually from end to end of the
said cones, thus giving a differential speed, which can be regulated at pleasure
to suit the required ratio of drawing out the mule carriage and putting up the
same to wind on the yarn or thread. This arrangement also gives case and
softness to the mangle-wheel motion as well as improving the putting-up 5
motion.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent, filed
by the said William Kenworthy in the Great Seal Patent Office on the
6th August 1856.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, WILLIAM
KENWORTHY, of Blackburn, in the County of Lancaster, Manufacturer, send
greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her Royal
Letters Patent, bearing date the Seventh day of February, in the year of our
Lord One thousand eight hundred and fifty-six, in the nineteenth year of
Her reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give and grant unto me,
the said William Kenworthy, Her special licence that I, the said William
Kenworthy, my executors, administrators, and assigns, or such others as I,
the said William Kenworthy, my executors, administrators, and assigns, should
at any time agree with, and no others, from time to time and at all times
thereafter during the term therein expressed, should and lawfully might
make, use, exercise, and vend, within the United Kingdom of Great Britain
and Ireland, the Channel Islands, and Isle of Man, an Invention for "IM-
PROVEMENTS IN SELF-ACTING MULES," upon the condition (amongst others) that
I, the said William Kenworthy, by an instrument in writing under my hand
and seal, 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 Royal Letters
Patent.
NOW KNOW YE, that I, the said William Kenworthy, do hereby declare
the nature of the said Invention, and in what manner the same is to be
performed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and by the following
statement (that is to say) :-
My said Invention is principally applicable to what are technically called
"Smith's self-actors," in which the putting-up motion is worked and regulated

page_text: by a mangle wheel and toothed heart. In spinning by these self-acting mules,
it is desirable that the rate of putting up and the relative speed of drawing out
the stretch of yarn should be capable of easy change to suit different counts of
yarn to be spun, which cannot be done by the arrangenients now generally
adopted without.changing the catch boxes or toothed gearing, and altering the
size of the heart wheel. Now, the teeth of the heart wheel being at various
oblique angles to the centre of motion, and drawn from no common centre, and
the said heart wheel having to be altered in size to give more or less speed to
the putting up, which is required when a change in the fineness of the yarn is
made, it is obvious such alterations cannot be made without involving con-
siderable trouble and expense, as well as encountering the almost impossibility
of finding a practical mechanic possessed of sufficient skill to construct such a
wheel with the correct curve and pitch of teeth to work well, and make the
necessary alterations in size when required. To illustrate this position, I say,
whatever difference of speed is given to the drawing-out motion the same will
also be given to the putting-up motion; therefore, whatever alteration is made
in the change wheel to regulate the speed or time of throwing out the carriage
for the purpose of giving more or less twist to the yarn, the same ratio of
difference will necessarily be given to the speed or time in putting up the stretch,
which is very objectionable. Suppose, for instance, that I am spinning 30 yarṇ
and I wish to change to 60%, the 60s will require more twist per inch than the
30%, in the proportion of V 30 to V 60, or as 2 to 3 nearly.
Now, the speed of the spindles remaining the same (being at a maximum
speed), the time of drawing out the carriage must be reduced in the inverse
ratio of the time required in the two counts of yarn, (that is to say,) the speed
of drawing out the carriage must be reduced from 3 to 2, which, by the plan
now adopted, the time of putting up the carriage must be reduced from 3 to 2
also; whereas, as already stated, it is desirable that the speed or time of putting
up or winding on the stretch should remain the same, or nearly so, which will
require an arrangement to give an independent motion to the putting up, not
to be affected by any change made in the speed of coming out. To accomplish
these desirable objects, and overcome the aforesaid difficulties, instead of
employing a differential heart wheel, with its peculiar shaped guard, I substitute
therefor a true circular form of heart or internal wheel, and also the same
circular form for the guard. I obtain the differential speeds for putting up the
mule carriagé by two conical drums or pullies, fixed in reversed positions on
two shafts, with a strap or belt passing over them, so that as they revolve the
said strap or belt moves gradually from end to end of the cones, thus giving a
differential speed, which can be regulated at pleasure, to suit the required ratio

page_text: of drawing out the mule carriage and putting up the same to wind on the yarn
or threads. I also employ two forks for shifting the belt on the conical drums,
the said forks being connected to levers, which are operated upon by a cani,
having an intermittent motion imparted to it. The nature and particulars of
my said improvements will be clearly understood by reference to the accom-
panying Sheet of Drawings, and the letters of reference thereon, in which
Fig. 1 is a view of an ordinary mangle wheel, having a differential heart wheel
and its peculiar shaped guard; Fig. 2 is a view of my improved mangle wheel,
having its inner wheel and guard of a truly circular form; Fig. 3 is a side
elevation of part of a headstock of a mule with my improvements attached.;
Fig. 4 is a plan of the same; Figs. 5, 6, and 7 are views of detached parts
'connected with the cam for shifting the belt upon the conical drums.
In Fig. 1 it will be seen the teeth of the heart wheel are at various oblique
angles to the centre of motion, and the pinion is necessarily small, whereas
in Fig. 2 the inner wheel a has teeth of the ordinary shape. The pinion b can
also be made larger than in the former example. The guard c, being of a
circular form, can be turned in a lathe both externally and internally, thus
employing the utmost economy in its manufacture.
In Figs. 3 and 4, the main framing of the headstock of the mule is repre-
'sented at.d, the fast and loose pulleys at e, and the driving shaft, at f, which
gives motion by means of the bevil wheels 'g to the conical drum h, from which
the crossed belt i passes to the pulley k and conical drum 1, which drúm is
keyed, or otherwise made fast to a hollow or shell shaft m, connected to, the
spur wheel o, which drives the gearing p for putting up the mule carriage.
The pulley is made fast to the shaft 7, which passes through the shell
shaft m, forming for it a bearing. The said shaft q is connected to the spur
wheel r, which drives the gearing s for drawing out the mule carriage. The
improved mangle wheel is represented at t, and the pinion which drives it at u;
it is supported in a swing frame v, which is the same as those in general
'use. Thus it will be understood that when the 'belt i is on, the pulley k, the
"drawing out" is in operation; and when on the conical drum l, the "putting-
up, the speed of which is differential, according to the position of the belt.
The belt is traversed by means of the cam w, which makes an entire revolu-
tion as the mule carriage is "putting up," and then becomes stationary,
remaining so during the operation of "drawing out." The cam w gives motion
to the compound levers & and y, in consequence of its edge coming in contact
with a bowl or stud z on the lever x. The levers x and y with their forks a¹
move simultaneously on their fulcrums &', inasmuch as they are connected to
each other by means of a pin c', fixed upon one lever working in a slot at the

page_text: end of the other lever. The fulcrums 6' are attached to a small frame d¹,
fixed to the framing of the headstock. The cam w is connected to a shaft or
pin e', upon which is a bevil wheel f, working in another bevil wheel g¹,
attached to a shaft, turning loose in the catch box k¹, which box is made to
revolve by means of a chain P, passing from a chain wheel m¹ on the mangle
wheel shaft to a similar chain wheel n¹ on the catch box, the motions of each
corresponding with the other. In order to cause the cam w to turn only in
one direction, the shaft h¹ is connected to a ratchet wheel o¹, driven by the
ratchets p', moving on pins or centres within the catch box. Although four
ratchets are shewn, it is simply to make more certain of one always being in
the ratchet wheel; it is evident that any convenient number may be employed.
The shafts e¹ and h¹ are supported in a frame q', attached to another frame r¹,
made fast to the main framing of the headstock. Thus the catch box and
ratchets connected to it revolve alternately in different directions, the same as
the mangle wheel, but the ratchet wheel and shaft, with the bevil wheel con-
nected to it, only in one direction, transmitting the same motion to the other
bevil wheel and cam. The return movement of the levers x and y is caused
by the spring s', giving the same action as a grooved cam, but with greater
advantages.
Having thus fully described the nature and particulars of my said Invention,
and the manner of carrying the same into practical effect, I desire it to be
distinctly understood that I do not confine myself to the exact details herein
set forth, nor to the exact dimensions of the central circular wheel, or the size
or taper of the conical drums, as such may be varied both in size and position,
according to the convenience and mode of application; but I claim as my
Invention, and which, to the best of my knowledge and belief, has not been
hitherto used within this realm,-
Firstly, in self-acting mules, the use of a circular wheel and guard (instead
of the present heart wheel with its peculiar shaped guard), in combination
with two taper drums to produce a differential speed to the putting-up motion,
and also in combination with a pully for the drawing-out motion.
Secondly, to giving an independent driving motion to the mangle wheel
pinion for putting up the mule carriage, by which the coming-out speed can
be altered at pleasure without affecting the rate or speed of putting up,
whether the same be accomplished by the changing of the strap from the fast
pulley to the loose conical drum, as shewn herein, or by simply changing the
strap to a loose pully, having a wheel upon its boss to communicate motion to
the mangle wheel, or whether the mangle wheel be fitted up with the circular
central wheel or the heart wheel, as at present adopted.

page_text: Thirdly, the cam or tappet, with the arrangements for effecting the changing
of the strap that works the carriage motion by the return motion of the mangle
wheel, as herein described, and illustrated in the accompanying Sheet of
Drawings.
In witness whereof, I, the said William Kenworthy, have hereunto set
my hand and seal, this Fourth day of August, One thousand eight
hundred and fifty-six.
WILLIAM KENWORTHY. (L.S.)
Signed, sealed, and delivered by the within-named
William Kenworthy, in the presence of
E. J. HUGHES,
Patent Agent, Manchester.