CERTAIN IMPROVEMENTS IN APPARATUS TO BE APPLIED TO THE SPINDLES OF MACHINES FOR PREPARING, SPINNING, AND DOUBLING COTTON AND OTHER FIBROUS MATERIALS
Year: 1857

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Francis Preston, of the City of Manchester, Ma-
chinist, for the Invention of "CERTAIN IMPROVEMENTS IN APPARATUS TO
BE APPLIED TO THE SPINDLES OF MACHINES FOR PREPARING, SPINNING, AND
DOUBLING COTTON AND OTHER FIBROUS MATERIALS."
Sealed the 15th December 1857, and dated the 25th August 1857.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Francis Preston at the
Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on the 25th
August 1857.
I, FRANCIS PRESTON, of the City of Manchester, Machinist, do hereby
declare the nature of the said Invention for "CERTAIN IMPROVEMENTS IN APPA-
RATUS TO BE APPLIED TO THE SPINDLES OF MACHINES FOR PREPARING, SPINNING,
AND DOUBLING COTTON AND OTHER FIBROUS MATERIALS," to be as follows:-
My improvements consist, firstly, in perforating the tubes and partial tubes
which are used on spindles and upon which cops are spun, whereby they are
made much lighter and the vibration of the spindle is avoided or reduced..
The tubes and partial tubes are less liable to slip in or out of the cops.
Secondly, in making the spools or bobbins used upon roving and slubbing
spindles of two or more pieces of metal soldered or brazed together, whereby
a greater degree of durability is obtained, and also in perforating the same to
obtain lightness.

page_text: Thirdly, in making the bobbin used in flax spinning in two pieces; the
bottom part of the bobbin, around which the drag band is placed, I make
separate and distinct from the bobbin, whereby the doffing is facilitated. This
improvement is also applicable for spinning and doubling other fibrous sub-
stances where a greater or less degree of drag or friction on the bobbin is
required.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent, filed
by the said Francis Preston in the Great Seal Patent Office on the
25th February 1858.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, FRANCIS
PRESTON, of the City of Manchester, Machinist, send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her Letters
Patent, bearing date the Twenty-fifth day of August, in the year of our Lord
One thousand eight hundred and fifty-seven, in the twenty-first year of Her
reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give and grant unto me, the
said Francis Preston, Her special licence that I, the said Francis Preston,
my executors, administrators, and assigns, or such others as I, the said Francis
Preston, 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 "CERTAIN IMPROVEMENTS IN APPA-
RATUS TO BE APPLIED TO THE SPINDLES OF MACHINES FOR PREPARING, SPINNING,
AND DOUBLING COTTON AND OTHER FIBROUS MATERIALS," upon the condition
(amongst others) that I, the said Francis Preston, my executors or adminis-
trators, by an instrument in writing under my, or their, or one of their hands
and seals, 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 Francis Preston, do hereby declare
the nature of my 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) :-
The nature of my Invention consists, first, in making the tubes and partial
tubes, which are sometimes placed on the spindles of machines for spinning

page_text: and doubling prior to winding yarn thereon, with perforations, whereby they
are made lighter and the vibration of the spindle is avoided or reduced; the
perforations also render the tubes and partial tubes less liable to slip in or out
of the cops when removed from the spindles.
Secondly, in making the spools or bobbins used in slubbing and 'roving
frames of two or more pieces of metal, soldered or otherwise connected
together, whereby durability and lightness are obtained.
And, thirdly, in making the bobbins used in machinery for spinning and
doubling, when a drag band is employed to give friction, in two distinct parts
connected by a catch box or other equivalent means, for the purpose of being
able to remove the full bobbins without displacing the drag band.
And in order that my Invention may be fully understood and readily carried
into operation, I will proceed to describe the means pursued by me, reference
being had to the accompanying Sheet of Drawings and to the Figures marked
thereon.
Figs. 1 and 2 are elevations, and Fig. 3 a plan of a partial tube, similar in
the outline to those for which Letters Patent were granted to George James
Wainwright and Charles Timothy Bradbury, on the Eighteenth day of July,
One thousand eight hundred and fifty-seven. These partial tubes have hitherto
been made of plain sheet metal; now, my improvements consist in making
them of perforated sheet metal so as to reduce their weight, consequently,
when these partial tubes are placed on the spindles of spinning and doubling
machines the vibration of the spindles is avoided or diminished; the perfora-
tions also render the partial tubes less liable to slip in or out of the cops when
removed from the spindles. This part of my Invention is equally applicable
to the entire tubes which are sometimes employed for the same purpose, one
of which is shewn in Figs. 4 and 5.
Fig. 6 is a sectional elevation, and Fig. 7 a transverse section of a spool
for slubbing and roving frames, constructed according to my improvements;
the body of the spool is made by preference of tinned sheet iron, but any other
metal may be used; the seam or joint is soldered, and at each end is soldered
or brazed a ring or hoop of malleable cast iron or other metal; these rings or
hoops are bored out to fit the spindle, and they are furnished with projections
fitting in the usual manner on the bobbin wheel by which the spool is turned
round. The advantages resulting from this improved mode of construction
are greater durability, less friction, and a more accurate fit on the spindles
than can be obtained when the bobbins or spools are of wood, as now
customary.
Fig. 8 is an elevation of a bobbin suitable for spinning flax, constructed

page_text: according to my improvements; Fig. 9 is a plan of the same; and Fig. 10, a
plan of the lower part of the bobbin, around which the drag band passes; the
upper part of the bobbin, or that part on which the yarn is wound, is made
either in the ordinary manner or of metal, and perforated, as shewn; but the
lower part of the bobbin, or that part around which the drag band passes, is
separate from the upper part; the two parts are, however, connected by
catches and recesses, as shewn in the Drawing, or by other equivalent means;
by this arrangement it is evident that the full bobbins can be doffed and fresh
ones put on the spindles without disturbing the drag bands, thereby effecting a
considerable saving in time and labour. The bobbins with perforations are
particularly beneficial when applied to flax spinning, as the yarn is wound
thereon in a wet state, and the perforations allow the air to circulate and
expedite the drying of the yarn.
Having thus stated the nature of my Invention, and described the manner
of performing the same, I declare that I claim as of my Invention,―
First, making the tubes or partial tubes above referred to with perforations
for the purposes described.
Secondly, making the spools or bobbins used in machines for preparing
fibrous materials, known as slubbing and roving frames, of separate pieces of
metal soldered or brazed together, as shewn and described.
And, thirdly, making the bobbins of machines for spinning and doubling, in
which a drag band is employed, in two distinct parts connected by a catch box
or other equivalent means, for the purpose described.
In witness whereof, I, the said Francis Preston, have hereunto set my
band and seal, this Twenty-fourth day of February, in the year of our
Lord One thousand eight hundred and fifty-eight.
Witness,
H. B. BARLOW,
Manchester.
FRANCIS PRESTON. (L.S.)