CERTAIN IMPROVEMENTS IN MACHINERY FOR SPINNING OR TWISTING COTTON, WOOL, OR OTHER FIBROUS SUBSTANCES
Year: 1851

page_text: TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, CHARLES
FELTON KIRKMAN, of Argyle Street, in the County of Middlesex, Gentleman,
send greeting.
WHEREAS Her present most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her
Royal Letters Patent under the Great Seal of Great Britain, bearing date at
Westminster, the Twenty-eighth day of February, in the fourteenth year of Her
reign,did, for Herself,Her Heirs, and successors, give and grant unto me, the said
Charles Felton Kirkman, Her especial license, full power, sole privilege, and
authority, that I, the said Charles Felton Kirkman, my exors, adññiors, and
assigns, and such others as I, the said Charles Felton Kirkinan, my exors,
adñiors, or assigns, should at any time agree with,and no others, from time to
time and at all times during the term of years therein mentioned, should and
lawfully might make, use, exercise, and vend, within England, Wales, the
Town of Berwick-upon-Tweed, and in all Her Majesty's Colonies and Planta-
tions abroad, and in the Islands of Jersey, Guernsey, Alderney, Sark, and
Man, my Invention of "CERTAIN IMPROVEMENTS IN MACHINERY FOR SPINNING
OR TWISTING COTTON, WOOL, OR OTHER FIBROUS SUBSTANCES;" in which said
Letters Patent is contained a proviso, obliging me, the said Charles Felton
Kirkman, by an instrument in writing under my hand and seal, particu-
larly to describe and ascertain the nature of my said Invention, and in what
manner the same is to be performed, and to cause the same to be inrolle
in Her Majesty's High Court of Chancery within six calendar months next
and immediately after the date of the said in part recited Letters Patent, as
Price 8d.1

page_text: in and by the same, reference being thereunto had, will more fully and at
large appear.
NOW KNOW YE, that in compliance with the said proviso, I, the said
Charles Felton Kirkman, do hereby declare that the nature of my said Inven-
tion, and the manner in which the same is to be performed, is particularly
described and ascertained in and by the following description thereof, reference
being had to the Drawings hereunto annexed, and to the letters and figures
marked thereon (that is to say):-
My Invention of certain improvements in machinery for spinning or twisting
cotton, wool, flax, or other fibrous substances, consists,-
First, in an improved construction or arrangement of parts, whereby a
regular and permanent twist may be put in rovings or yarns, and the same
wound upon bobbins with the twist therein, both ends of the rovings or yarn
being held without turning round.
Second, in an improved method of spinning or twisting cotton, wool, flax,
and other fibrous substances, by means of a series of drawing and spinning
frames, in which are mounted rollers, that shall in addition to their revolution
on their axis, have a second motion communicated to them at right angles, or
some other angle, to their axis, by causing the frames in which they are
mounted to rotate on an axis, at the same time that the said rollers are
rotating.
Third, in an improved method of driving spindles and other parts of spinning
and winding machinery.
Fourth, in a novel arrangement or construction of parts, whereby any con-
venient number of single yarns may not only be drawn, and spun,or twisted,
but sets of two, three, or more of such yarns may be twisted together to form
thread, in the same machine in which the separate yarns are drawn and spun.
Having briefly explained the object of my several improvements, I will
now proceed to describe more in detail the nature and construction of parts
constituting my several improvements.
In the accompanying Drawings, Figures 1, 2, 3, Sheet I, I have shewu
views of an improved construction of parts, whereby a regular and permanent
twist may be put into rovings or yarns, and the same wound on to bobbins,
both ends of the roving or yarn being held fast, and neither turning round.
This part of my present Invention is a modification or improvement upon a
former Invention, for which I have obtained Letters Patent. Fig. 1 is a front
elevation; and Figures 2 and 3 are side views of an apparatus or flyer in which
the cotton or other fibrous substance is conducted from the drawing rollers
above, down the inside of a tube or hollow flyer a, a, a, at the bottom of which

page_text: is attached a spindle b; this tube or hollow Ayer, with spindle attached, is
mounted vertically in hollow bearings c and d at top and bottom, and rests
upon a point in a step, and is driven by ordinary bevil gear, or any other more
convenient means. A toothed wheel e is fixed to the upper end of the fixed
hollow bearing d, and therefore always remains stationary; a second toothed
wheel fis mounted on the lower end of the short shaft 7 and gears into or
bears against the stationary toothed wheel c; the shaft gis mounted in bearings
made in the lower part of the hollow flyer, which is secured to the spindle 6 by
means of a screw 1, and consequently the spindle and flyer are carried round
together, when the latter is put into motion by the gearing above mentioned.
Another toothed wheel h, at the upper end of the shaft g, gears into a similar
wheel i, which is made fast to an inner frame, 2, 2, 2, and this latter wheel i
of necessity becomes stationary; the wheels f and h, with their shaft g, being
carried round the stationary wheels e and i. It will be understood that as the
toothed wheel e is fixed to the stationary hollow bearingd, and therefore always
remains stationary, the wheels fand h, with their shaft g, be carried round this
stationary wheel e, and consequently the toothed wheel i, together with every
portion of the apparatus attached to the wheel i and its bearing, will be always
kept in the same position, that is, will be prevented from rotating.
I would here observe, that whenever it shall be desirable to increase the
amount of twist in yarns, the inner frame may be made to rotate in an opposite
direction to the flyer; to effect this object, I vary the size of the two stationary
wheels,and also those fixed to the short shaft, as shewn in the detached view,
Fig. 4. A large wheel e is mounted on the upper end of the fixed hollow
bearing d, and therefore always remains stationary; a second tooth wheels, of
smaller diameter, is mounted in the lower end of the short shaft g, and gears
into or bears against the stationary toothed wheel e; another toothed wheel h,
of the same size as the wheel e, is fixed on the upper end of the short shaft g,
and gears into another toothed wheel i (of the the same size as f); the wheel i is
made fast to the inner frame 2, 2, 5, 2, and this latter, with the wheel i, will of
necessity be made to rotate in an opposite direction to the flyer, the wheels f
and h, with their shaft g, being carried round the stationarywheelse and i; this
will not only increase the amount of twist, but it will at the same time prevent
all vibration or oscillation of the frame c,,, .
The sliver or slubbing of cotton is conducted from the drawing rollers above
(not shewn in the Drawing) down the hollow tube or flyer a, a, a, and passes
from the bottom of the tube of the flyer to a hole in the socket at the top of
the spindle b, which is attached to the hollow tube or flyer by the screw 1,
above mentioned. From this hole, the roving or yarn passes up the socket

page_text: ;
and over the curved wire 7 of the inner frame-z,, then through the slot of the
guide m, which is fixed on the traverse guide n. By this means the yarn is
distributed.upon the bobbin B, the roving or yarn having in its passage from
the drawing or delivering rollers above through the flyer a, a, a, while in
motion, and from thence to the bobbin b, received two permanent twists for
every turn of the flyer. In the under part of the top of the flyer is a pin
running in the hollow bearing C, and a worm or pinion p is secured thereon)
this worm or pinion is geared into another pinion q, on the end of the shaft 1,
on the opposite end of which is a toothed wheels, which gears into another
toothed wheel t, on the axle of the barrel or drum A. It will now be under-
stood that as the flyer a, a, a, rotates, with the worm p fixed thereon, it will, by
its motion and the intermediate wheels, drive the barrel or fluted drum A, and
as the bobbin B is kept in contact with the surface of the barrel or drum A,
by means of the india-rubber cords or springs u, u, it will be evident that as
the flyer rotates and imparts a twist to the roving or yarn, the drum A will
cause the bobbin B slowly to rotate upon its axis, and take up the twisted
yarn, which thereby becomes wound thereon. It is unnecessary to give a
more detailed account of the several parts of the inner frame ; 2,,, as they
have been particularly described in a former Patent granted to me, and the
Specification of which was duly enrolled on April Eighteenth, One thousand
eight hundred and fifty. A spring catch is adapted to the frame 2, s, and the
cheek pieces which carry the bobbin and traverse screw have a hole 2 made at
the lower end thereof, as seen in Fig.3. Itwill be understood that the bobbin B,
with the traverse screw and guidem,are mounted in two cheek pieces running
in the slots in the sides of the frame 2, 2, 2, . The bobbin B, in these cheek
picces, is kept in contact with the drum A by means of springs u, u, as before
described, and as the bobbin B fills, the cheek pieces are pressed down, and the
lower end of these check pieces will come against the ends of the spring
catches 3, 3, which are made fast to the frames, 2, 3, 5, and the cheek pieces
continuing to descend will allow the spring catches to enter the holes 2, 2, and
thereby retain the check pieces and their appendages in that position, until
the full bobbin has been doffed or taken out, and an empty bobbin substituted
for it. The small studs 4, 4, on the spring catches on either side of the frame
are then gently pressed inwards,so as to relieve the cheeks from the catches 3, 3,
and the springs u, u, will instantly carry the surface of the empty bobbin into
contact with the barrel or drum A, and the process of winding again goes on.
I will now proceed to describe more in detail the second part of my improve-
ments, which relates to an entirely new mode or method of drawing and spinning
ortwisting cotton, flax, wool, and other fibrous substances, by means of a series

page_text: of drawing and spinning frames, consisting of sets of rollers that shall, in
addition to their revolution on their axis, have a second motion communi-
cated to them, by causing the frames in which they are mounted to revolve
independently of the motion of the rollers.
In the accompanying Drawings, Figures 5 and 6, Sheet II., shew an
adaptation of such drawing and spinning roller frames as applied in conjunc.
tion with the flyer frame herein already described (or with the flyer framefully
described in the Specification of a former Patent granted to me by Her present
Majesty), for the conversion of a coarse roving or subbing of cotton into yarn.
S, S, are two spools or bobbins of coarse roving or slubbing, and they are
In this frame are
carried at the upper part of the first roller frame F¹.
mounted three pairs of drawing rollers r, 1, 1, r, r, r, which are worked by
wheels g, g, on the ends of the rollers at the cheeks or sides of the frame.
These wheels are driven by worms 2, 2, on shafts 1, 1, which are furnished at
the lower ends with pinions 3, 3, which gear into a fixed wheel x attached to
the stationary hollow bearing 4. The gearing of the rollers r, r, r, 1, is
arranged in such a manner that the second set may work at twice thespeed of
the first,and the third set at a still further increased speed. It will of course
be evident, the several speeds of the drawing rollers may be varied as thought
most desirable and to suit different circumstances.
The spinning motion is given to the frame F', by means of the driving shaft
and bevil wheel A, A, A, which gears into and drives the bevel pinion d'. The
roving passes from the frame F¹ through ȧ hole in the top of the spool S, and
after passing between the roller r,,r,r, it passes through the end of the frame
F1,and also the hollow bearing 4, to a set of ordinary drawing rollers R, R, R,
where it is again drawn and delivered to a second spinning frame F2, which is
worked in a similar manner to the former, but ata sufficiently increased speed
to take up and give additional twist to the extended yarn.
The spinning
motion of this frame is the reverse of the frame F', as will be seen by the
arrows in the side elevation. If, however, thought desirable, the first frame
F1 and its appendages may be dispensed with, and only one drawing and
spinning frame employed for each roving or yarn.
The yarn is delivered by this frame F direct to the spinning flyer and
winding frame F3, herein previously described. This frame is driven by the
driving shaft and wheel C,C,C; the proportionate speeds of the three driving
shafts A, B, C, are given and regulated by wheel and change gearing, in the
ordinary way,at the end of the frame or range of spindles. The rollers in the
drawing and spinning frames F and F are held in contact together by india-
rubber bands or other convenient means,and the proportion ofspeed between

page_text: the twisting and drawing frames may be given by change wheels for the side
gearing, or as most convenient. T, t, are small shoots or troughs, for the
purpose of protecting the yarn from any dirt from the driving gear,in passing
from one frame to the other.
The Drawings shew only onc spindle, or set of frames, for spinning out yarn;
but it should be understood, that any convenient number of these frames and
spindles may be arranged together in one frame. They may also be worked
in the same vertical or horizontal line.
Although all the arrangements of this last-described improvement may be
used in conjunction, yet the drawing and spinning roller frames may be used
separately, if desired, and may be advantageously applied to the frames now
in use with very little trouble. Tlie mode of twisting and spinning cotton
and all other fibrous substances may also be effected by frames containing
one,two,or more pairs of drawing rollers,as circumstances may require, and the
side gearing may also be varied without departing from the nature and object
of my Invention:
In Sheet III., I have shewn a means of applying my improved spinning,
drawing, and twisting frame, just described, to an ordinary tube frame, so as
to impart to the yarn a proper quantity of regular and permanent twist, prior
to its being wound on to the horizontal bobbin,as in an ordinary tube frame,
orby means of the improved flyer frame, above described, or any other suitable
fly frame, on to bobbins. In adapting my improvements to a tube frame, it
will be necessary to remove the tube, and its appendages, and also all the
gearing connected therewith. My improved rotary drawing and spinning
frames F may have either two or three pairs of rollers; in the Drawing, I
have shewn only two, and this frame is placed between the stationary frame A
and the horizontal bobbins B,and is actuated, or caused to rotate, by means of
the toothed wheel C, shewn by red lines in the Drawing. The wheel is
furnished with shew teeth, which gear into and drive the worm D on the
hollow axle of the frame F. The frame having been already described in
reference to Sheet II.,it will not be necessary to enter any further into detail
in reference to its construction; I will therefore only say, that the yarn, having
been properly drawn and twisted by the action of the frame F1, passes out of
the hollow axle at the lower end thereof, to the horizontal bobbin B,on which
;t is wound in the ordinary manner. I, however, consider it desirable that the
bobbins Bshould be pressed down, and kept in close contact with the drum or
roller E, by means of india-rubber springs 1, 1. The spindle of the bobbin
works in a slot in the frame, and is inserted in a notch 5 in the check pieces
G, and when the bobbin is full,the notch 5, and consequently the spindle of

page_text: the bobbin, will be raised to the notch 6 in the frame, and may then be doffed.
A spring catch 3 is adapted to the stationary frame, and when the check pieces
G are raised by tho bobbin, becoming filled with yarn, the catches 3 will enter
a hole 2 made in the cheek-piece, and will hold the same in an elevated
position, while the bobbin is being doffed, and an empty one placed in the
frame in lieu thereof.
It will of course be evident that any convenient number of the frames
F' may be mounted side by side together in a frame, as shewn in the front
elevation Fig. 7, and in place of winding the yarn direct on to a bobbin, as
shewn in the end elevation Fig. S, it may be conducted to an ordinary spindle
and flyer, or to my improved fly frames, already described, as shewn in Fig. 7.
In Fig. 7, I have also shown an improved method of driving spindles, which
forms the third part of my Invention. In place of bands and pullies, or
ordinary toothed gearing, I mount on the spindle a worm with a sharp and
short pitch, as shewn in the Figure, and this worm I drive by means of a
wheel with teeth, made to correspond with and work in the threads of the
worm. When any convenient number of spindles arearranged side by side in
a frame, it wil! of course be evident that the toothed wheels, to act on the
worms on the spindles, should be mounted on a common shaft at the back of
the spindles. This improved mode of driving parts of spinning machinery is
also shewn in Fig. S, in which it will be seen that the rotary drawing and
spinning frame F is driven in this manner, as was briefly explained in
describing this Figure. It will of course be evident that this method of driving
various parts of spiuning and winding machinery may be applied in a variety
of instances, which it will notbe necessary to enumerate here. I will, therefore,
only remark, that I propose to employ it generally for driving any parts of
drawing, spinning, twisting, and winding machinery, where high speeds and
regularity and evenness of motion are required, and where bands and pullies or
toothed wheels are now usually employed.
In Sheet IV., I have shewn several of my improved drawing and twisting
roller frames, such as those shewn at F, Shcets II. and III., adapted
together in such a manner that two, three, four, or more frames may be made
to act in succession upon the same yarn, so as to reduce it from a roving to a
fine yarn, in one and the same machine. Fig. 9 is a side clevation of a
machine constructed according to my improvements. Fig. 10 is a back view,
shewing the method of communicating motion from the prime mover to the
several working parts. Fig. 11 is a front view. In the side elevation, Fig. 9,
I have shewn four sets of drawing and twisting frames E', acting in succession
on the same yarn. It will be seen that all these sets of frames are actuated

page_text: by the same shaft H, but are driven at different speeds, varying according to
the amount of twist required by each frame or set of rollers; the first frame
will draw out the roving to double the length that entered the frame, and at
the same time will impart the requisite amount of twist. The second fraine
will again draw out the roving double the length, that is, four times the length
that was delivered from the spool to the first frame. A further and corre
sponding amount of twist having been in the meantime given to the yarn, the
third frame will double the length delivered from the second, and the
fourth frame will double the length delivered by the third; so that for
every inch of roving unwound from the spool, the first frame F, will draw it
out to two inches, the second frame to four inches, the third frame to eight
inches, and the fourth to sixteen inches in length; and a proper and requisite
amount of twist will all the while, and by each separate frame, be imparted
to the yarn; so that when delivered by the fourth or last set, the: yarn will be
of the requisite fineness, and have the proper amount of twist; it being
then only necessary to wind it on to a bobbin by means of my improved flyer
frames, above described, or by any other convenient and suitable mechanism.
In Sheets V. and VI., I have shewn my improved method of drawing
and spinning yarns, and twisting the same together to form cord or sewing
thread. These operations, which hitherto have always been effected indistinct
machines, are, by means of my improvements, carried on in the same machine,
thereby causing considerable economy of construction and space. Fig. 12;
Sheet V., is a side elevation of part of a machine, constructed upon the
improved plan, which constitutes the fourth and last head of my Invention;
Fig. 13, Sheet VI., is a front view of the same.
-.
The rovings to be operated upon are wound upon bobbins B, B, which are
placed in light iron framings A, A, as seen in Fig. 12; these framings A are
supported in steps below, and on the hollow shafts above are toothed wheels
or pinions a, a, which gear into, and are driven by, a centre wheel b, on the
upper end of the spindle C, which is driven by bands or toothed gearing, or
in any other convenient manner. Rotary motion is given to these frames A
and bobbins B, in order to prevent too great a twist being put into the rovings
before they enter the rotary drawing frame F'; and the yarn or roving passes
from the bobbins B, B, through a hole 1 near the middle of the iron framing,
then through another hole 2 above, and up the hollow shaft into the drawing
roller fraines F!, where the yarn or roving is drawn out by the series of rollers;
and, by communicating rotary motion to the frames F', the drawing rollers
are made to draw out the roving, and at the same time a twist is put into the
elongated yarns. The two, three, or more separate yarns or strands, thus

page_text: drawn and twisted, are passed up through a guide d to a roller or pulley c,
from whence they are conducted down to a fly frame, such as that before
described and shewn in Sheet. I, or any other convenient means for twisting
the yarns or strands together, and winding the cord or thread thus produced
on to a bobbin.
In Sheet VII.,I have shewn a modification of the machine shewn in Sheets
V. and VI.; the arrangement of the parts is different, but the principle upon
which the machine is constructed is precisely the same as that just described.
Fig. 14 is a side elevation of a machine, in which the drawing and twisting
roller frames F, together with the roving bobbins B,B, are placed in a hori-
zontal position; Fig. 15 is a partial front elevation of the same. Another
modification or different arrangement of parts may be made by mounting the
drawing roller frames F in a slanting or oblique position, and placing the
spools or bobbins containing the rovings above. And I would here observe, that
instead of winding the thread produced in the machine upon bobbins, as shewn
in the Drawing, it may be wound direct upon recls or balls ready for the
market. I would further observe, that the spinning or twisting machinery shewn
in Sheets V.,VI., and VII.,is equally applicable with certain modifications to
the manufacture of twine, cords, or ropes, and as the modifications or changes
in the several parts necessary for such other applications will in no way inter-
fere with the principle of construction, and will readily suggest themselves to
any person conversant with these manufactures, I have not thought it neces-
sary to enter into any detailed description.
Having now described my various improvements in spinning or twisting
cotton, woul, flax, or other fibrous substances, and the best means with which
I am at present acquainted for carrying the same into effect, I would observe
in conclusion, that although, in order that my various improvements may be
properly understood, I have found it desirable to describe various well-known
parts which have been used for similar purposes, yet I do not mean or intend
to claim such parts, except when combined and arranged according to my
improvements; nor do I intend to confine myself rigidly to the precise construc-
tion or arrangement of parts hereinshewn and described, as they may perhaps
be varied in some particulars without departing from the nature and object of
my Invention; but that which I consider to be new in the above described
improvements, and therefore wish to claim as the Invention secured to me by
the herein-before in part recited Letters Patent is,―
First, the combination of parts shewn in Figures 1, 2, 3, and 4, Sheet I.,
and herein described, or any mere modification thereof, whereby a permanent
twist may be put in rovings or yarns, and the same wound on to bobbins

page_text: without the twist being removed, both ends of the roving or yarn being fast
and neither end turning round.
Second, I claim the use and employment in drawing, spinning, and twisting
machinery, of the rotary, drawing, and twisting frames F' and F2, or any merc
modification thereof, in which the roving is simultaneously drawn out aud
spun, or twisted by the rotatory action or motion of the drawing frame, as
herein shewn and described; I claim the use and application of these rotary,
drawing, and twisting frames to any kind of drawing, spinning or twisting
machinery, whether such as that herein shewn and described in reference to
Sheets II., III., IV., V., VI., and VII., or any other to which such rotary
frames may be applicable.
Third, I claim the method shewn in Figures 7 and 8, of driving or
actuating spindles by means of a screw or worm acted upon by a wheel, as
shewn and described; I claim the application of this novel mode of actuating
spindles or shafts for driving any parts of drawing, spinning, twisting, and
winding machinery, where great speed and evenness or regularity of motion
is required.
Fourth, the method shewn in Sheets V., VI., and VII., orany mere modi-
fication thereof, for drawing, spinning, and twisting yarns, and converting
them in the same machine into cords or thread, as shewn and described.
In witness whereof, I, the said Charles Felton Kirkman, have hereunto
set my hand and seal, this Twenty-eighth day of August, in the
our Lord One thousand eight hundred and fifty-one.
year of