Improvements in and relating to Spinning Machines.
Year: 1896

page_text: Date of Application, 10th Mar., 1896-Accepted, 11th Apr., 1896
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in and relating to Spinning Machines.
I, FREDERICK SLOCUM CULVER, of Taunton, in the County of Bristol, State
of Massachusetts, United States of America, Cotton Spinner, do hereby declare
the nature of my invention, and in what manner the same is to be performed, to
be particularly described and ascertained in and by the following statement :-
In spinning-machines the drawn-out roving delivered from the drawing-rolls
extends from the front rolls to the twisting and winding device, a considerable
distance, and it passes on its way through a guide-eye placed perpendicular over
and above such device.
In the modern spinning-machine, the guide-eye through which the roving passes
to the drawing-rolls is mounted on a roving-rod placed parallel with and close to
the rear rolls. To this roving-rod reciprocating motion is usually imparted so as
to vary the point of delivery of the roving to the drawing-rolls, prevent the local
wearing of the drawing and top rolls and secure the even wearing of the same over
a larger surface.
On account of the rotary motion of the traveler, the ballooning of the roving
and inherent weak places, the roving frequently breaks and requires to be pieced
up. If the roving continues to run into and between the drawing-rolls it
accumulates during a break and is wasted. To avoid this waste stop-motions
have been designed which cut off or break the roving before it enters the rear
rolls, but with such devices the piecing up of the broken roving would become
difficult and require more time, for the separated roving would have to be inserted
into the guide-eye on the roving-rod and fed in between the rear roll and top roll
so as to be carried between the rolls to the front before the same can be connected
with the thread drawn off from the bobbin.
One object of this invention is to stop the roving so as to prevent the making of
waste and hold the roving so that the drawn-out sliver will retain its connection
with the rear roll, and will, as soon as it is released, be automatically carried
forward between the drawing-rolls and delivered for the ready piecing up of the
thread.
The invention consists in the peculiar and novel construction of the automatic
stop-mechanism by which the thread-guide is connected with a roving-clamp
carried by the reciprocating roving-rod, so that when the yarn breaks the thread-
guide will rise and operate the roving-clamp thereby arresting the passage of the
roving through the drawing-rolls, and when the thread-guide is depressed the
roving will be released and automatically pass through the drawing-rolls and
thereby facilitate the piecing of the roving with the thread.
The invention further consists in the construction of the roving-clamp and its
relation to the back-rolls whereby the roving is clamped within the length of the
staple so that the clamped staple extends to the bite of the back rolls.
And the invention further consists in the peculiar and novel construction of the
roving-clamp whereby the draft of the drawing-rolls on the roving exerts a strain
on the roving-clamp and holds the roving with increasing pressure, as will be more
fully described hereinafter and more particularly pointed out in the claims.
Figure 1 is a sectional view of part of a ring-spinning-frame showing the
drawing-rolls, the yarn-guide and the spindle in their relative positions.
Figure 2 is a transverse section of the roving-rod on a line through the roving-
guide.
Figure 3 is a top view of the roving-guide showing the roving-rod and the

page_text: Figure 4 is a top view showing the construction of the pivoted yarn-guide and
the manner of adjusting the same.
Similar numerals of reference designate corresponding parts in all the figures.
In the drawings 1 indicates the bobbin on which the yarn is wound, 2 the
traveler by which the yarn is guided on to the bobbin, 3 the ring-rail, and 4 the
whirl around which the driving-band passes and by which the spindle and bobbin
are rotated. The front-beam 5 forms the support of the series of stands 6 on
which the drawing-rolls are supported. 7, 7, designate the rear drawing-rolls,
sometimes called the feed-rolls, 8, 8, the intermediate drawing-rolls, and 9, 9, the
front rolls. The roving-rod 10 extends from end to end of the spinning-frame; it
is located close to the rear rolls 7, 7, and provided with as many of the roving-
guides as there are spindles in one side of the spinning-frame. To this roving-rod
reciprocating motion is given so as to prevent the local wearing of the drawing-
rolls. To the roving-guide 11 is pivoted the clamp 12 connected to and operated
by the lever 13, the end of which lever is connected by the thin flexible plate 14
with the arm 15 pivotally supported on the rod 16 which extends parallel with the
front beam 5 the length of the spinning-frame. The rod 17 is secured to the arm 15,
the outer end of the rod 17 is bent into the usual pigtail and forms the guide-eye 18.
The arm 15 and rod 17 with the guide-eye 18 constitute the pivoted yarn-guide which
is counterweighted by the weight 19 adjustably secured to the arm 15. The con-
struction of the arm 15 and the adjustable support for the rod 16, illustrated in the
drawings, form one method for carrying out my invention; they will be more fully
described hereinafter, but I do not wish to confine myself to any particular
construction of the devices by which I carry out my invention.
In ring-spinning machines as heretofore constructed, the guide-eye is secured to
or formed in the hinged finger-boards which extend outward from the front-
beam 5, the guide-eye being in the position of the guide-eye 18, shown in broken
lines in Figure 1. When the length of bobbin for which the spinning-frame was
originally constructed is used, I bend the rod 17 so as to rest on the front beam
and extend outward as is shown at 17 Figure 1,-but the modern improvements
in the spindles and the tendency to save time in doffing, spooling and otherwise,
make it desirable to use longer bobbins. To illustrate the advantages of my
improved yarn-guide, I have shown in Figure 1 the operative parts of a ring-
spinning-machine in the relative positions as originally constructed for a five-inch
bobbin and have shown a seven-inch bobbin which will hold forty per cent. more
yarn than the five-inch bobbin. It will be seen that by bending the rod 17 of the.
yarn-guide so that while it rests on the front beam when in the operative position,
as shown in solid lines in the drawings, the guide-eye 18 is raised, so as to permit
the use of a longer bobbin in a frame constructed for a short bobbin.
The rod 16 forms the pivotal support for a number of the counterbalanced yarn-
guides and is supported on the slotted vertical arm 20 clamped by the screw 21 to
the bracket 22 which is slotted on its horizontal extension. The vertical arm 20
is provided with a series of transverse grooves which fit on the projecting rib 23
so that the vertical arm 20 can be adjusted vertically and horizontally and when
clamped by the screw 21 is firmly held in the adjusted position.
To secure independent adjustment for the guide-eye with relation to the spindle,
the rod 17 is bedded on the arm 15 between two projections 24, one above the
other, and the end 17' of the rod 17 enters the slot 25 and when properly adjusted
is clamped in the adjusted position by the counterbalance-weight 19. The arm 15
is supported on the rod 16 and adjusted on the same by the collar 26 which enters
the slotted end of the arm, the collar is provided with a set-screw by which it is
secured in the required position on the rod 16.
The counterweighted yarn-guide is held in the position shown in solid lines in
Figure 1 by the strain and friction of the yarn passing from the front drawing-
rolls through the guide-eye 18 to the bobbin, by adjustment of the counter-
balance-weight 19 this strain can be regulated to the yarn that is being spun.
When, now, the spinning-frame is stopped for doffing, or otherwise, the downward

page_text: strain is diminished and the counterweight raises the yarn-guide into the position
shown in broken lines in which the guide-eye is marked 18-in this position the
roving is not clamped or held and when the spinning-frame is started up the yarn-
guide is drawn down again into the position shown in solid lines and the machine
proceeds to spin without a break, unless there is an imperfect length of yarn.
When, however, any one of the yarns breaks, the yarn-guide is released from all
strain and rises into the position shown in broken lines in which the guide-eye is
marked 18, the roving-stop-motion also has passed into the position shown in
Figure 1 in broken lines and the roving is firmly clamped in the roving-guide so
close to the rear rolls 7, 7, that the bite of these rolls and the roving-clamp 12 will
bear on the roving within the length of the fiber, the draft of the drawing-rolls on
the roving is thereby utilized to draw the roving clamp or cam toward the rear
rolis and thereby assist in clamping the roving with increasing pressure. The
roving will separate between the rear rolls 7, 7, and the higher-speeded inter-
mediate rolls 8, 8,-by drawing out the roving into a long point, no waste of roving
is made because the roving is instantly and firmly held by the roving-clamp and its
passage into and between the drawing-rolls is at once arrested. The operative,
seeing one of the yarn-guides conspicuously raised above all the others, depresses
the yarn-guide, thus releasing the roving which instantly and automatically
continues its passage through the drawing-rolls and permits the ready piecing up.
of the thread, which is done quickly and can be readily done, at any practical
speed at which the spindles can be run, without the making of any waste.
I do not wish to confine myself to the exact construction of the various parts
herein shown and described, as various modifications may be made without
changing the nature of my invention, the essential features of which consist in a
counterbalanced yarn-guide connected with and operating a roving-stop-motion
which clamps the roving, without breaking or separating it between the clamp and
the rear or feed rolls, so that when released the roving will pass automatically
through the drawing-rolls as herein described.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said inven-
tion, and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what I
claim is:
Claim 1. In a spinning-machine, the combination with the drawing-rolls and the
reciprocating roving-rod, of the lever 13 pivoted to said roving-rod and having the
clamp 12, the counterweighted pivoted yarn-guide 15-17, and the link 14
connected with the lever 13 and the weighted end of the yarn-guide, whereby upon
the breakage of the yarn the yarn-guide actuates the lever 13 and causes the
clamp 12 to tightly grasp and hold the roving in close proximity to the rear rolls,
substantially as described.
2. In a spinning-machine, the combination with the drawing-rolls, the roving-
rod adapted to reciprocate and carrying a roving guide, a fixed support, and the
counterweighted arm, supporting the yarn-guide, pivoted on said fixed support,
of a clamping-lever pivoted on the roving-guide, and a flexible connection between
the said clamping lever and the arm supporting the yarn-guide, whereby the
clamping-device is adapted to move with the roving-rod while the yarn-guide
retains the required position with relation to the spindle, and the whole will
operate to stop the delivery of the roving by clamping the same near the rear roll
when the yarn breaks, substantially as described.
3. In a spinning-machine, the combination with the drawing-rolls and the
roving-rod provided with a guide passage for the roving, of a cam pivoted upon
the roving-guide close behind the bite of the rear rolls, and mechanism, sub-
stantially as described, constructed to turn the cam in the direction of the moving
roving on the breakage of the yarn and thereby clamp the roving in the roving-
guide and resist its passage through the rolls until released, substantially as and
for the purpose herein described.
4. In a spinning-macbine, the combination with the drawing-rolls and the

page_text: reciprocating roving-rod, of a clamping device moving with the roving-rod, a
yarn-guide normally stationary over the spindle and moving in a vertical direction
on breakage of the yarn, and connections between the clamping-device and said
yarn-guide whereby the moving of the yarn-guide causes the clamping-device to
clamp the roving, substantially as described.
5. In a spinning-machine, the combination with the drawing-rolls and recipro-
cating roving-rod, of a clamping-device attached to the roving-rod within the
length of the fiber being drawn from the bite of the rear rolls, a yarn-guide
supported upon the frame of the machine over the spindle, and connections between
the clamping-device and yarn-guide whereby on the slacking of the yarn the
yarn-guide will automatically move upward away from the spindle and when
the yarn breaks the clamping-device will arrest the passage of the yarn through the
drawing-rolls, the yarn-guide being returned to position by the piecing of
the yarn.
6. In a spinning-machine, the combination with the drawing-rolls, of a yarn-
guide carried by an arm attached to a fixed support, said yarn-guide being
normally perpendicular over the spindle and serving to deflect the yarn in its
passage from the drawing-rolls to the spindle, and means (as a weight or spring)
to lift said yarn-guide on breakage or slacking of the yarn, substantially as
described.
7. In a spinning-machine, the combination with the drawing-rolls, of a spindle
or bobbin, a yarn-guide normally stationary above the spindle and forming the
only obstruction to twisting between the spindle and the rolls, a roving-clamp
located close behind the drawing-rolls, and connections between the thread-guide
and roving-clamp whereby the roving is delivered to the rolls when the thread-
guide is depressed and its delivery is stopped when the same is elevated, substantially
as described.
8. In a spinning-machine, the combination with the drawing-rolls, and the
reciprocating roving-rod provided with a roving-guide for the passage of the
roving, of a cam mounted upon the roving-guide close behind the bite of the rear
rolls and co-operating with the roving-guide, a yarn-guide connected to the cam
and adapted to move the same in the direction of the moving roving on the
breakage of the yarn, to thereby clamp the roving in the roving-guide and resist
its passage through the rolls until released, substantially as described.
Dated this Fifth day of February AD 1896
FREDERICK SLOCUM CULVER.
Haseltine, Lake & Co.,
45 Southampton Buildings, London, W.C., Agents for the Applicant.