IMPROVEMENTS IN MACHINERY FOR DRAWING COTTON AND OTHER YARNS
Year: 1854

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Edwin Pettitt, of Manchester, in the County of Lan-
caster, for the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN MACHINERY FOR DRAWING
COTTON AND OTHER YARNS."
Sealed the 29th January 1855, and dated the 30th November 1854.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Edwin Pettitt at the Office
of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on the 30th November
1854.
I, EDWIN PETTITT, do hereby declare the nature of the said Invention for
"IMPROVEMENTS IN MACHINERY FOR DRAWING COTTON AND OTHER YARNS" to be
as follows:-
The Invention relates to the construction and application of certain grip
flyers for drawing cotton or other yarns, when the method is adopted of partially
or temporarily untwisting the yarns to promote or facilitate their elongation by
ordinary drawing rollers. I construct the grip flyers of a tube mounted on
suitable bearings or supports, so as to be capable of revolving upon its axis,
upon which is a warve or pulley, by means of which it may be driven with a
band in a similar manner to ordinary spindles. At one extremity of the tube
I attach two or more cross. bars, and I conduct the yarn which is to be
elongated through a pair of rollers and through the tube of the grip flyer, and

page_text: I pass the yarn in and out or under, and over between the cross bars, and I
then pass the yarn between a pair of drawing rollers revolving at a greater
velocity than the first-mentioned pair. The grip flyer, being caused to revolve
rapidly upon its axis in a contrary direction to the twist of the yarn, untwists
that portion which is between the back rollers and the grip flyer, and allows
it to be elongated by the action of the front or delivery rollers. The twist
which is taken out by the grip flyer flies in again or is restored as the yarn
passes through the grip flyer, and additional twist may be given to the yarn
on its leaving the second rollers by means of a bobbin and fly. The cross
bars may be attached and arranged in various ways, and may be capable of
adjustment to different distances apart, and so arranged as to admit of the
easy introduction of the yarn between, them. In lieu of cross bars, a plate
with perforations or notches may be employed, or the yarn may be twined
round a rod attached to the tube, and carrying an eye or loop at its extremity.
In all cases, the yarn undergoes two or more deviations from its course in
passing through the grip flyer, by which means a sufficient hold. or, grip is
obtained on the yarn to, ensure the proper action of the grip flyer. "I mount
a series of grip flyers side by side upon a frame, consisting of two bars with
notchies in them for receiving the tubes, and I fit this frame into a slide, or
otherwise, so as to be capable of being readily adjusted at different distances
from the drawing rollers, according to the length of staple of the fibrous
•
11

page_text: 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
FOR DRAWING COTTON AND OTHER YARNS," upon the condition (amongst others)
that I, the said Edwin Pettitt, 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 Letters Patent
NOW KNOW YE, that I, 'the said Edwin Pettitt, 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
thereof,' reference being had to the accompanying Drawings, and to the
figures and letters marked thereon, that is to say
The Invention relates to the construction' and 'application" of certain grip:
flyers for drawing cotton or other yarns, when the method is adopted of partially
or temporarily untwisting the yarns to promote or facilitate their elongation by:
ordinary drawing rollers.
In Sheet I., of the accompanying Drawings, I have shewn several forms of
grip flyers constructed according to my Invention.
Figure 1 is a side view, and Figure 2' is a plan, of one of my improved
grip flyers. It is composed of a tube of steel or other metal A, carrying a
wharve or pulley B, and two bars with slots C, C. A series of transverse rods'
D, D, D, D, are placed in these slots and secured by nuts; the slots admit
of the rods D being adjusted at various distances apart. The yarn E passes
through the tube A, and alternately over and under the-rods D, which obtain
a sufficient hold or grip upon the yarn to untwist it by the rotation of the
grip flyer.
Figure 3 is a side view of a grip flyer, similar to that shewn in Figures 1.
and 2, but having a series of holes in the bars C, for the reception of the rods
D, in lieu of the slots, shewn in Figures 1 and 2:*
Figure 4 is a side view of another of my improved grip flyers. 'In this case
the transverse rods D; D, are formed with an eye at each end, and they are
slipped upon the bars C, C, which are carried by the tube A. Short pieces of
tube F, F, are slipped on the 'bars Calternately with the rods D, which are
thus kept at the required distances apart. The whole is secured by nuts G
screwed on the ends of the bars.C.""

page_text: Figure 5 is a side view of another arrangement of grip flyer, in which a
plate C is substituted for the bars C, C, of the grip flyers, herein-before
described. This.plate C is pierced with several holes, countersunk on each
side, and well rounded or smoothed. The yarn E passes in and out through
these holes, and a grip or hold upon the yarn is thus obtained, like that
produced by the transverse rods D, herein-before mentioned.
Figure 6 shews an arrangement similar to that shewn in Figure 5; but in
this case the plate C is provided with slits communicating with the holes, which
construction offers great facility for the introduction of the yarn.
Figure 7 shows another form of grip flyer, having the two bars C, C, and the
transverse rods D, D, D, D, made in one piece of metal. The yarn E is passed
under and over the rods D, as in Figures 1, 2, and 3.
Figure 8 shows a grip flyer somewhat similar to Figure 7, but having two
branches I and J, which are bent, as shewn in the Drawing. This simple.
arrangement affords great facility for the introduction of the yarn E, which is
passed under and over the transverse portions of the branches I and J.
Figure 9 shews a grip flyer similar to that shewn in Figure 8, excepting
that it has only one branch I in lieu of two..
Figure 10 shews another grip flyer with a single branch I. The number of
bends in the branches I may be varied. Thus, Figure 10 bis shows another
grip flyer with fewer bends than Figures 9 and 10.
In applying these grip flyers for drawing yarns, they are placed between two
pairs of drawing rollers, of which the first or back rollers revolve slower than
the second or front rollers. The yarn is conducted through the back rollers,
and through the grip flyer, and then through the front rollers. The grip flyer
is caused to revolve in a contrary direction to the twist of the yarn by means
of a band or cord passed round the wharve or pulley. The yarn is thus tem-
porarily untwisted between the grip flyer and the back rollers, and is drawn
and elongated by the greater speed of the front rollers. As the yarn passes
through the grip flyer it recovers its twist; so that on leaving the front
rollers, the yarn contains as much-twist-as-before entering the machine. As,
however,-the-yarn.is_longer and thinner than when it entered the machine,
the twist having been distributed over the increased length, it is in a softer
state, and capable of receiving additional twist, which may be given by bobbins
and flyers or mule spindles, or other known means.
In Figure 11, Sheet II., I have shown a vertical section of a portion of a
machine in which grip flyers are applied, as herein-before mentioned. A, A,
_are the back rollers; B is one of the grip flyers, of a similar form to that.

page_text: shown in Figure 8, Sheet I.; C, C, are the front rollers. The grip flyers B
are mounted on a moveable support D, which may be shifted nearer to
or farther from the rollers A, A, according to the length of staple of the
fibrous material, and secured by screws or bolts and nuts a, a, to the frame F
of the machine; or the back rollers may be made moveable by having their
stands and bearings adjustable, and capable of being fixed at various distances
from the grip flyers. In this case it is not necessary to have the support of
the grip flyers moveable.
The grip flyers are driven by cords or bands b, passing round their wharves
or pulleys, and round a tin drum G, extending the length of the machine.
The drum G is driven by gear or by a band from a pulley on the spindle
of the main drum M. A spindle H, with a flyer I, and bobbin J, are provided
for each grip flyer. The spindles or bobbins, or both, are driven by any of
the ordinary methods, and the yarn is distributed on the bobbin by a 'copping
motion, as is well understood.
The yarn E is conducted from a bobbin N to the rollers A, A, and through
the grip flyer B and rollers C, C, and an eye or guide wire c, to the flyer. I and
bobbin J. The grip flyer is made to revolve rapidly in a contrary direction
to the twist of the yarn, which is thus untwisted and rendered soft as a
roving in the part which lies between the grip flyer B and the back rollers.
A, A. This untwisted part of the yarn is consequently drawn and elongated
by the action of the front or delivery rollers C, C, whose surfaces move at a
greater velocity than those of the rollers A, A. As the yarn passes through
the grip flyer B it recovers its twist, and it issues from the rollers C, C, with
the same total amount of twist which it possessed on entering the rollers A, A.
As, however, the yarn is thinner and longer, the twist is spread over a greater
length, and the yarn is in a softer state, and capable of receiving additional
twist, which is imparted to it by means of the spindle H, and flyer I, and
bobbin J. The yarn from the bobbin J may be again passed through the
machine, and still more elongated, if required. The relative speeds of the grip
flyers and drawing rollers are varied, by means of change wheels or pulleys,
according to the kind of yarn required and operated upon.
When both the bobbins and flyers are driven, as in the roving frame, their
speeds must be so proportioned that they may wind up the yarn at the same
speed that it is delivered by the front rollers C, C. When both the bobbins
and the flyers are driven, the second or front rollers C, C, may be omitted, and
the yarn may be simply guided by a wire eye and led direct to the flyer I.
The elongation of the yarn. -is-then produced by the traction of the bobbin and
=

page_text: flyer instead of by the action of the front rollers. In like manner the elonga-
tion of yarns may be effected by the action of grip flyers and rollers mounted
on the headstocks of mules. In this case the arrangement is the same as
in the preceding machine, that is to say, a grip flyer driven by a band
from a tin drum, or by other means; is placed between two pairs of drawing
rollers...
174
Thus; in Figure 12, Sheet III., I have shown a section of a portion of a
mule having one of my improved grip flyers adapted thereto. A, A, are the
first or back rollers; B is the grip flyer; C, C, are the second or front rollers,
the surfaces of which move at a greater velocity than those of the first rollers
A, A, so as to produce the requisite elongation of the yarn, which is tempo-
rarily untwisted by the grip flyer B H is the mule spindle, mounted on
the carriage K, which runs in and out in the usual manner. The grip flyers
are driven by a drum G: **
The carriage K runs out at the same or nearly the same velocity as that of
the circumference of the 'rollers C, C, so as to take up the yarn as fast as it is
delivered from the rollers; at the same time the spindles H revolve, and
impart additional twist to the yarn: When the carriage-K has arrived at the
end of its course, the rollers A, A, and C, C, and the grip flyers B stop; the
spindles H may stop at the same time, or may continue to turn for a time, so
as to give the yarn an additional twist. The backing-off of a small portion
of yarn from the spindles then takes place, and the faller L is lowered;
the carriage K is then.run in, and the spindles H revolve; and wind up the
yarn in the ordinary manner; the rollers A and C and grip flyers B again
act, and the carriage runs out again as before. The yarn is held during
the winding-on by the front rollers C; which prevent its being broken at the
untwisted-part between the grip flyer and the rollers A, A. The grip flyers
G may be mounted in a moveable and adjustable support, like those in the
machine shown in. Sheet II., so that their distance from the rollers A, A,
may be varied. In lieu of employing a mule spindle-or-a-bobbin-and-flyer-
-to-receive-the-yarn, it may be simply wound upon a traversing bobbin, as in
the Dyer's frame, without giving it any additional twist.
Having now described the nature of my said Invention, and in what
manner the same is to be performed; I wish it to be understood that what I
claim is,―
Firstly, the constructing grip flyers of the various forms or arrangements
herein-before described.
Secondly, the constructing machinery for drawing yarns by the application

page_text: of grip flyers constructed as herein-before described in combination with a
back or first pair of rollers and a front or second pair of rollers, as herein-before
described.
In witness whereof, I, the said Edwin Pettitt, have hereunto set my
hand and seal, this Twenty-ninth day of May, in the year of our Lord
One thousand eight hundred and fifty-five.
Witness,
CHARLES COWPER,
20, Southampton Buildings,
Chancery Lane.
EDWIN PETTITT. (L.B.)