IMPROVEMENTS IN MULES FOR SPINNING AND TWISTING WOOLLEN AND OTHER FIBRES of
Year: 1882

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to John Edward Heppenstall of Milnsbridge near Huddersfield
in the County of York, Woollen Spinner and Manufacturer for an Invention
IMPROVEMENTS IN MULES FOR SPINNING AND TWISTING WOOLLEN AND
OTHER FIBRES
of
re
"
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said John Edward Heppenstall at
the Office of the Commissioners of Patents on the 17th November 1882.
JOHN EDWARD HEPPENSTALL of Milnsbridge near Huddersfield in the County of
York, Wollen Spinner and Manufacturer "IMPROVEMENTS IN MULES FOR
L
SPINNING AND TWISTING WOOLLEN AND OTHER FIBRES "
Firstly. In the present arrangement of mules for spinning woollen and other
fibres, a tapering scroll is employed for winding the carriage in and out for the well
known purpose of drawing the thread and for winding it on the spindles. As is
well known the tapering scroll gives to the carriage an irregular motion in and
out, producing an irregular draught upon the thread.
According to the present construction of spinning mules, the delivery rollers
are arranged to feed the thread at a uniform rate until the carriage has traversed
outward for about two thirds of its distance when they are stopped whilst the
carriage continues to traverse the remaining one third of its distance during which
time it continues to draw or elongate the thread previous to the twist being put in,
and being wound upon the spindles. According to my Invention I dispense with
the use of a tapering scroll for spinning mules, and in lieu thereof I employ a
parallel scroll or barrel so that the traverse of the carriage is regular. I also
arrange the driving of the delivery rollers so that they do not stop delivering the
thread, but revolve and continue to deliver it until the carriage reaches the end of
its traverse when they are caused to stop for the twist to be put in the thread
and wound upon the spindles, the necessary draught or lengthening medium being
obtained by the carriage travelling outward faster than the thread is delivered by
the rollers. By this means of spinning in a mule, a much softer and nicer yarn is
obtained than by using a tapering scroll and allowing the delivery rollers to stop
before the carriage has arrived at the end of its traverse.

page_text: Secondly. My Invention relates to mules whether employed for spinning or
twisting, the object of this part of my Invention being to prevent irregularity in
the number of turns put into the yarn and consequently "hard places" are
avoided.
It is well known by those conversant with mules that each time the carriage
returns to the delivery rollers, that there is more twist put in the yarn at that
point than at any other, and this is done by the movement of the carriage towards
the said rollers, causing a greater number of turns to be concentrated in that
particular place.
My Invention consists in causing the delivery rollers to revolve a revolution or
portion of a revolution (and thereby deliver a portion of yarn) whilst the carriage
is returning to the rollers, which I find entirely prevents irregularity in the twist
and the "bard places" complained of.
The apparatus I employ for causing the feed rollers to revolve consists of a
ratchet or other form of wheel placed on the bottom roller shaft which is operated
at the right time by the movement of the carriage acting upon a lever and catch
through the medium of a cord, rod, or other equivalent.

page_text: SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent filed
by the said John Edward Heppenstall in the Great Seal Patent Office on the
17th May 1883.
JOHN EDWARD HEPPENSTALL of Milnsbridge near Huddersfield in the County of
York, Woollen Spinner and Manufacturer. "IMPROVEMENTS IN MULES
SPINNING AND TWISTING WOOLLEN AND OTHER FIBRES
"
FOR
Firstly. In the present arrangement of mules for spinning woollen and other
fibres, a tapering scroll is employed for winding the carriage in and out for the well
known purpose of drawing the thread, and for winding it on the spindles. As is
well known the tapering scroll gives to the carriage an irregular motion in and out,
producing an irregular draught upon the thread. According to the present
construction of spinning mules, the delivery rollers are arranged to feed the thread
at a uniform rate until the carriage has traversed outward for about two thirds
of its distance, when they are stopped whilst the carriage continues to traverse
the remaining one third of its distance during which time it continues to draw or
elongate the thread previous to the twist being put in, and being wound upon the
spindles.
According to my Invention I dispense with the use of a tapering scroll for
spinning mules, and in lieu thereof I employ a parallel scroll or barrel A (see Fig 1
which is end view of headstock) so that the traverse of the carriage is regular.
I also arrange the driving of the delivery rollers so that they do not stop delivering
the thread, but revolve and continue to deliver it until the carriage reaches the
end of its traverse when they are caused to stop for the twist to be put in the
thread and wound upon the spindles, the necessary draught or lengthening medium
being obtained by the carriage travelling outward faster than the thread is delivered
by the rollers. Although I have not shewn on the Drawings the wheels necessary
for causing the delivery rollers to cease rotating; it will be understood by any
spinner how this can be accomplished, the only difference between the present
system and my improved system consists in allowing the wheels to revolve until
the carriage arrives at its furthest point outward, whereas according to the present
system the wheels stop rotating and delivering yarn before the carriage has reached
its furthest point.
By this means of spinning in a mule, a much softer and nicer yarn is obtained
than by using a tapering scroll and allowing the delivery rollers to stop before the
carriage has arrived at the end of its traverse.
Secondly. My invention relates to mules whether employed for spinning or
twisting, the object of this part of my invention being to prevent irregularity in
the number of turns put into the yarn, and consequently "hard places" aro
avoided. It is well known by those conversant with mules that each time the
carriage returns to the delivery rollers that there is more twist put in the yarn at
that point than at any other, and this is done by the movement of the carriage
towards the said rollers, causing a greater number of turns to be concentrated in
that particular place. My invention consists in causing the delivery rollers to
revolve a revolution or portion of a revolution (and thereby deliver a portion of
yarn) whilst the carriage is returning to the rollers, which I find entirely prevents
irregularity in the twist and the "hard places" complained of. The apparatus I
employ for causing the feed rollers to revolve consists of a ratchet or other form
of wheel placed on the bottom roller shaft which is operated at the right time by
the movement of the carriage, acting upon a lever and catch through the medium
of a cord, rod, or their equivalent. This part of my invention is shewn in Fig. 2,

page_text: where B is the carriage, and C the feed roller shaft, on the end of which is fixed a
ratchet wheel D whilst the lever E is placed loosely thereon. A cord F passing
over pullies G is connected to the lever and to the carriage! and the cord is of such
a length that each time the carriage returns to the feed rollers as shewn in dotted
lines, the lever E will be raised to the position also shewn in dotted line whereby
the catch H in gear with the wheel turns it and consequently the feed rollers go
around a revolution or so whereby a little more yarn is delivered, consequently
the number of "twists" is equalized and hard places prevented. Having now
shewn and described my Invention, and the manner of carrying the same into
practice, I would have it understood that I do not claim the exact details herein
shewn and described, but what I claim is
Firstly. The employment in a spinning mule of a parallel barrel or scroll A
substantially as herein shewn and described. Secondly The method herein
shewn and described whereby the delivery rollers are allowed to revolve con-
tinuously until the carriage reaches its furthest point backward. Thirdly. The
employment of mechanism for giving rotary motion to the feed rollers about the
time the carriage returns thereto, for purposes substantially as described. In
witness whereof I the said John Edward Heppenstall have hereunto set my hand
and seal this eleventh day of May, in the Year of our Lord, one thousand eight
hundred and eighty three.