IMPROVEMENTS IN SPINNING MACHINERY
Year: 1879

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to William Robert Lake, of the Firm of Haseltine, Lake,
& Co., Patent Agents, Southampton Buildings, London, for the Invention of
"IMPROVEMENTS IN SPINNING MACHINERY." A communication from abroad
by Samuel Metcalfe, of Windsor, Connecticut, United States of America.
Sealed the 1st August 1879, and dated the 6th June 1879.
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION filed by the said William Robert Lake at the
Office of the Commissioners of Patents on the 6th June 1879.
WILLIAM ROBERT LAKE, of the Firm of Haseltine, Lake, & Co., Patent Agents,
Southampton Buildings, London. "IMPROVEMENTS IN SPINNING MACHINERY."
A communication from abroad by Samuel Metcalfe, of Windsor, Connecticut,
United States of America.
This Invention has particular reference to machinery for spinning wool or
worsted into yarns, and it consists in improvements whereby I am enabled to make
that system of spinning known as "ring-spinning" available in the manufacture of
woollen or worsted yarns. The said improvements can also be employed in
spinning-frames for spinning cotton. The machine in common use at the prosent
time for spinning wool is the well known "jack" and self operating mule, and for
spinning worsted the "cop-frame," as well as the self-operating mule are employed.
To the best of my knowledge and belief ring and traveller spindles, which are so
extensively used in the cotton manufacture, and which in point of speed and
economy in production are for ordinary numbers and grades of yarn greatly
superior to flyer-spindles, have not previous to this Invention been successfully
adapted to spinning woollen or worsted yarns, for the reason that (especially in the
case of worsted, where in the "preparation" the fibres have been laid parallel as
the result of repeated combings) the roving is not able to bear without breaking
the strain or pull upon it, which occurs between the bobbin and the delivering
rollers during the operation of putting in the twist, and by the dragging of the
traveller upon the yarn in the process of winding the yarn upon the bobbin
But by this Invention the manufacture of woollen and worsted yarns by the
system of ring-spinning is successfully accomplished by employing in combination
with the spindles and the drawing and delivering rollers what I term "cushion-
[Price 6d.1

page_text: bobbins," or bobbins which are elastic or capable of yielding slightly to the pull of
the yarn upon them.
In the accompanying Drawing,―
Figures 1 and 2 represent only so much of a ring-spinning frame as is necessary
to be shown for the understanding of the said Invention.
5
Figure 3 represents one of the spindles in elevation with my improved bobbin
combined therewith, and
Figure 4 shows an elevation of the said bobbin.
Figures 3 and 4 are drawn to an enlarged scale.
All that portion of the machine which is above the line x, x, Figure 2, is sub- 1
The
stantially the same as the common worsted spinning-frame in general use.
drawing and delivering rollers through which the rovings pass are represented
at A, B, C, D, Figure 1, and are such as are suitable for working wool or worsted
roving, the front and rear pairs A and D being located far enough apart to nip the
two ends of the staple, and the intermediate pairs B and C serving to hold down the 1
fibre. The several sets of rollers are made to revolve at the proper rate relatively
to each other to effect the drawing out of the roving by means of a connected train
of gearing (1 to 14) deriving motion from the driver 1 on the principal shaft E, to
which power is applied in the usual way.
All that portion of the machine which is below the line x, x, represents a ring- ?
spinning frame in general use in the manufacture of cotton-yarn. For convenience
in representing the bobbin and spindle clearly the ring-rail with its complement of
rings and travellers, and the mechanical means for giving the proper traverse to
such rail for laying the yarn upon the bobbin are omitted from the Drawing,
but are to be understood as required in an operative machine.
Two of the spindles belonging to one side of the frame are represented at a, a,
and are shown in this instance as supported by bolsters and steps set in the bolster
and step-rails F and G respectively. For spindles so mounted other varieties of
ring-spindles (such for example as those which have their bolsters and foot-supports
combined in one supporting tube attached to a single rail, and driven by a whirl
attached to a sleeve encompassing the bolster) may be substituted.
Instead of an unyielding bobbin of wood or a cop-tube set upon the spindle so as
to be practically unyielding when in its place upon the spindle I employ a bobbin
or cop tube b, which is made of paper or of any suitable yielding material for the
purpose, and the relation of the wall of which to the spindle when the two are
combined is substantially such as is shown in Figure 2, and on a larger scale in
Figure 3, that is to say, while the bobbin is supported by the spindle at its extreme
ends, and is by frictional adhesion combined with the spindle at such places, so as
to revolve with it; it is not in contact with the spindle at any point between the
ends of the spun yarn, as it will be when laid on the bobbin, consequently the shell
of the said bobbin will from the character of its construction be able to yield
laterally slightly to the pull of the yarn, and thus diminish the liability of the
yarn to break.
It is to be understood that the traverse rail carrying the rings and traveller is
moved with relation to the spindle and bobbin to such extent only as will lay the
yarn over that portion of the bobbin b which is unsupported centrally by the
spindle, and lay no part of it around the outside of the bearing sections of the
bobbin.
The effect of the construction of the bobbin, and its combination with the spindle
as above described, is substantially the same in principle as if the bobbin were
cushioned on the spindle, and instead of the specific construction of the bobbin, and
its application to the spindle shown in the Drawing, the said Invention may be
modified by making the bobbin of wood, and combining it with the spindle by
means of cushioned bearings of india rubber or other yielding substance, so that the
said bobbin can move laterally relatively to the spindle, although I prefer to make
use of a bobbin whose walls are themselves yielding as above described.
Having thus fully described the said Invention as communicated to me by

page_text: my foreign correspondent, and the manner of performing the same, I wish it
understood that I claim,-
First. The combination with a spinning frame-spindle of a "cushion-bobbin,"
substantially as described and for the purpose specified.
Second. The combination in a spinning frame of drawing and delivery rollers,
live spindles with their rings and travellers, and bobbins having walls yielding
laterally within the range of movement of the traverse rail for laying the yarn upon
the bobbin, substantially as described and for the purpose specified.
In witness whereof, I, the said William Robert Lake, have hereunto set my
hand and seal, this Sixth day of June, in the year of our Lord One thousand
eight hundred and seventy-nine.
W. ROD. LAKE. (S.)