Year: 1887

page_text: Date of Application, 12th Jan., 1887
Complete Left, 12th Oct., 1887
Complete Accepted, 15th Nov., 1887
I JOHN KEATS, of Bagnal near Stoke-upon-Trent in the County of Stafford,
Engineer do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as follows:-
The object of this invention is to wind silk and other thread in such a manner that
it will give off from its carrier with greater regularity than heretofore and always in
or about the same plane.
These results I find are of great moment in sewing machines, where slackness of the
thread and uneven tension are certain to produce inferior work.
The invention also applies to the winding of sewing threads for general use great
compactness being secured which is advantageous both in respect of packing for the
market and for arranging in drawers and work baskets.
The silk or other thread I wind upon holders taking somewhat the character of star
shaped discs with an odd number of points or spurs. Paper, wood or metal discs will
in general be employed in the formation of the holders but fancy materials may also
be used.
In winding threads on their holders 1 use a compound spindle so constructed as to
carry any given number of holders at equal distances apart and to rotate them in front
of a series of eyes or thread guides carried by a horizontal reciprocating guide bar.
In designing a machine to wind 12 thread holders I make the spindle of thirteen
separate parts mounting them each on a fixed bearing. These parts are hollow
throughout and are intended to receive between them sliding mandrils on which the
thread holders or discs are mounted. The mandrils are slotted at their opposite ends
and are formed with a shoulder or collar for the disc or holder to bear against. These
mandrils are entered between the mounted portions of spindle and are free to slide
end wise therein, cross pins being provided in the divided spindle to enter the slots in
the ends of the mandrils and ensure their rotating with the compound spindle. To
ensure a proper grip of the disc or holder the adjacent ends of the divided spindle
are formed the one with points to bear against the disc or holder and the other with
a flat face to form a bearing surface for a coiled spring which is confined between it
and the collar of the mandril.

page_text: By the pressure therefore of this spring the thread holder is gripped between the
collar of the mandril and the points and in order to release the holder it will only be
necessary to force back the mandril against the pressure of its spring when the holder
may be slipped off from the now free end of the mandril.
It is obvious that instead of having detachable mandrils they may be permanently
connected with their driving spindle and a collar divided so as to form two clamping
surfaces for holding the thread disc.
In winding threads according to my invention I am enabled to form it into balls
laying it regularly on opposite sides of the disc and in such a manner as will
ensure it leaving the disc or holder (when drawn off) in the plane of the points
or spurs and always in the same direction which is a result heretofore unattained
by thread winders."
Dated this 12th day of January 1887

page_text: I JOHN KEATS of Bagnal, near Stoke-upon-Trent in the County of Stafford,
Engineer, do hereby declare the nature of this invention and in what manner the
same is to be performed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and by the
following statement:-
The object of this invention is to wind silk and other thread in such a manner that
it will give off from its holder with greater regularity than heretofore, and always in
or about the same plane.
These results are, I find, of great moment in sewing machines, where slackness of
the thread and uneven tension are certain to produce inferior work.
The invention also applies to the winding of sewing threads for general use, great
compactness being secured, which is advantageous, both in respect of packing for the
market, and for arranging in drawers and work baskets.
The silk or other thread I wind upon holders taking somewhat the character of
star shaped discs, with an odd number of points or spurs. To these holders I give a
rotary motion in front of a reciprocating thread guide bar, and I thereby wind the
silk on to the holders, laying it alternately on opposite sides of the spurs or projecting
arms. Paper, wood, or metal discs will in general be employed in the formation of
these thread winders or holders, but fancy materials may also be used.
In the accompanying Drawings I have shewn several forms of thread holder, and
also one arrangement of machinery for effecting the winding operation. The
thread holders may be made single or double, and if desired, two or more may be
connected together by eyclets to form compound holders.-The form and number
of the spurs or arms of these holders may vary, and indeed experience has shown
that different kinds of thread require different forms of spurs or arins to ensure
the utmost efficiency in the holder. Thus, for cotton and linen thread, the spurs
should offer little or no resistance for the giving off of the thread, but the holder
for a more elastic thread, such as that of silk and wool, should be formed with spurs
that will tend to retard the slipping off of the thread, and retain it in its place.
Figs. 1 show in side and edge views a holder with five radial spurs or arms,
which taper from their root to near their extremity, and then assume a slightly
bulbous form. The edges of the taper portion are chamfered off, the full thickness
of the material only being left at the middle of the spur or arm. This form or
holder I prefer to use when winding cotton or linen thread.
Fig. 2 shows a five spur holder, the spurs tapering outwards, and taking a lobe
shape at their extremity. This form I find convenient for winding on fine cotton
or silk.
Fig. 3 is a holder of similar shape, but having different proportions, the spurs or
arms being seven in number, This form of holder is preferred for winding on
Алея silk

page_text: Fig. 4 is a seven spur holder, each spur or arm terminating in a hook at its back
edge. This holder is designed for the reception of wool and all kinds of knitting
yarns, and it is unwound in the direction of the arrow.-The peculiar form of
this holder is adopted by reason of the fact that pressure on the wool, when
packed, has a tendency to force the wool off the spurs or arms, unless secured by
the hooks.
Fig. 5 shows a holder with nine sickle-shaped arms terminating in a hooked
point; this will serve for the reception of silk sewing thread, the rotation of the
holder for delivery being in one direction only, as indicated by the arrow.
Fig. 6 is a modification of the form shown at Fig. 1, the spurs, which are nine in
number, swelling slightly in breadth from the root, and then contracting towards the
extremity, which is formed with a flattened head. This holder may advantageously
be used to receive fine floss silk such as that used for embroidery.
Figs. 7 shew a series of five holders having a varying number of spurs or arms,
which are so shaped as to display to the greatest advantage the silk or other thread
wound thereon.
This character of holder I prefer to use when a limited length of silk is required to
be wound for the market, the curve at the front of the arms causing the laps of thread
to spread as wound on the holder and lie side by side, thereby forming an even
coating of the holder so far as the thread extends in either direction to or from the
centre. For increasing the carrying capacity of the holder without varying its
diameter or the pitch of the spurs or arms, it will only be necessary to carry down the
slits in the holder nearer to the centre. This will be readily understood by examining
the five-armed holder, where the slits are shewn in dotted lines as approaching much
nearer to the centre than those shewn by drawn lines.
I have said that the holder may be made to take two threads. To enable it to do
this, a double set of spurs is provided. These spurs, instead of being all in one plane,
are alternately bent out to the right and left of the plane of the disc.
Figs. S illustrate this modified form of holder in side and edge view, two colors of
thread being indicated thereon by coarse and fine lines. These threads may be
wound on one at a time or simultaneously, if a suitable duplex thread layer is
provided for the purpose. The spurs of this holder are radial, but their opposite
edges are parallel.
I will now describe the most improved arrangement of mechanism which I have
devised for lapping the thread upon my improved holders by means of a reciprocating
thread guide bar, while rotary motion is imparted to any given number of thread
holders.
In carrying out this operation, I have found it necessary to devise a special form
of tension apparatus, which, as the winding proceeds, will allow the thread to pass
forward more freely, to give out a gradually increasing supply of thread to the
holder.
Fig. 9 is a side elevation of the winding apparatus, and
Fig. 10 is a plan view of the same.
In these Figures, AA is the main fraining of the machine, within which is mounted
an adjustable frame B pivotted at B✶ to the sides of the framing.-This frame B is
intended to carry a series of holders CCC, and to present them to the thread guided
of a guide bar D, which extends from side to side of the machine, room being left
however for a short reciprocation of the bar. D¹ D₁ are a pair of horizontal guide
rods made fast at their opposite ends to the framing A, and upon them slide two
cross heads D³, which carry the guide bar D.-Pivotted to the under side of this
guide bar is a link d¹, which is connected by a rod d² with a crank d³, carried by a
vertical shaft D³ mounted in a bracket bearing standing up from the bed plate of the
machine. Keyed to this shaft is a bevil pinion d', which gears into a bevil pinion
keyed to the inner end of a horizontal shaft E, which is the main shaft of the machine,
and turns in suitable bearings provided for it.-Mounted in bearings in the frame B
is a transverse shaft B', which forms the fulcrum for a central radius arm B.-This
arm is cast with a longitudinal slot to receive a train of spur gearing bbb². The

page_text: outer end of this radius arm takes the form of a handle, which facilitates its being
turned on its axis, and the inner end of the arm is cast with a cam piece, on which
are formed shoulders to receive the end of a spring bolt B³, which serves to retain
the arm in one or other of the two positions shown in Fig. 9.
I will now explain the means for giving a rapid rotary motion to the holders,
which motion is made variable to suit the various forms of holders employed.
The spur wheel is keyed to the shaft B, and gearing into this wheel is an idle
wheel which has its bearings in the slotted arm. The third wheel b is keved to
the short shaft mounted in bearings in the arm B2, and formed with socketted ends
projecting through the opposite sides of the arm B-C Care spindles which
interlock with the short shaft, and form therewith a compound shaft or spindle.
These spindles C Care intended to receive the thread holders C C, and for this
purpose they are fitted with a feather extending from end to end thereof.-The sockets
of the short shaft B³ are grooved to receive the inner ends of the feathered spindles,
and the opposite ends of the spindles are formed with a head, in the centre of which a
coned hole is drilled to receive respectively the adjustable spring centres c, fitted in
sliding blocks A' carried by slotted flanges on the end frames A.-The
blocks A are connected by links A with the adjustable frame B.-As, therefore
therefore, the position of that frame is shifted, the blocks A' will move therewith.
Underlying the radius bar B² is a table A* carried by a support standing up from
the bed plate. This table serves to act as a stop for the radius arm and its fittings
when depressed from its raised position, and thereby to ensure the spring centres c
springing into the cupped ends of the spindles CC. The holders C, whether made
of paper, wood, or metal, are grooved at their centre to fit the feather on their spindles,
and on either side of the central hole made to receive the spindle, a small hole is
drilled for the reception of a locking pin. When placing these holders upon their
spindles, spacing pieces in the form of tubes are applied. These tubes are drilled
longitudinally with holes corresponding to the holes in the holders, and in one end of
each spacing tube, steel pins are inserted. By placing these holders and spacing
pieces alternately on a spindle, having first applied a coiled spring to the head of tho
spindle, and then inserting the spindles in place, the interlocking of the parts will be
secured, the spring serving to press the holders and spacing pieces towards the
socket of the short shaft 63, which now acts as a stop for maintaining the holders in position.
The frame B is made adjustable in the framing A to provide for the introduction of
different diameters of tbread holders into the machine, it being requisite to bring the
arms or spurs of the holders into close proximity with the reciprocating thread guides d.
On one side, or it may be on both sides of the framing A, a segment slot is formed
through the framing to receive a screw bolt for fixing, by means of a nut, the frame B
to its adjusted position. B' is one such clamping bolt, constituting also a stud pin for
the reception of an idle wheel e, which transmits motion through a change wheel to
the spur gears carried by the radius arm B. The stud axle of the wheel e
passes also through a segment slot made in the frame B, and it thus admits of
adjustment independently of the adjustment of the frame B, for the purpose to be
presently explained. Mounted loosely on the stud B forming the fulcrum for the
frame B, is a spur wheel e', gearing into the wheel e, and this wheel receives notion
from the driving shaft E through spur gearsele ees, the latter being keyed on the shaft E.
Fitted on a feather of the shaft B', is a change wheel 6, which gears into the
wheel -As, therefore, rotary motion is given to the main shaft E, that motion will
be transmitted through the gearing above mentioned to the feathered spindles C¹²
which carry the holders.
These bolders, it will be remembered, are formed not only of different diameters,
but with a varying number of spurs or arms, and as it is necessary that each spur or
arm shall pass the reciprocating thread guide after a reciprocation has taken place,
the speed of rotation of the spindles and holders must vary according to the number
of spurs or arms which the holders carry, the reciprocations of the thread guide bar
remaining unchanged when once properly adjusted. For this purpose it is requisite
to provide a series of change wheels 6, which can be used according to the nature of

page_text: the holder with which the machine is for the time being fitted. When winding thread
upon holders with five spurs or arms, a change wheel of sixty teeth will be used, the
first motion wheel e having twenty four teeth; for seven spurs or arms, a change
wheel of eighty-four teeth will be required; for a holder of nine spurs or arms, one
hundred and eight teeth; for a holder of eleven spurs or arms, one hundred and
thirty two teeth; and for a holder of thirteen spurs or arms, one hundred and fifty
six teeth. As these change wheels are of different diameters, the idle wheel e is made
'capable of shifting around the fuleruin B* of the frame B, so as to maintain its
connection with the gear wheels.
From the foregoing explanation it will be understood that various siges of holders
may be readily adapted to the machine, by simply shifting the position of the frame B
to correspond thereto, and that the relative changes of rotation of the thread holders,
to suit the winding of different numbers of spurs or arms, is fully provided for by a set
of change wheels adapted to the requirements of the case. I have said that it is
important to ensure a variable adjustment of the tension of the thread-I will now
explain how this is effected. Stretching across the framing A is a plate F, fitted with a
series of bearings in which are mounted tension spindles Around these spindles it
is intended to lay the threads as they come from the bobbins or banks (which deliver
it to the machine), before leading it to the holders. The inner ends of these spindles
are bored out longitudinally for a short distance, and laterally, to form a guide for the
thread on its way to the guide bar. Each spindle is fitted at its outer end with a
worm wheel f, which wheels gear into worms keyed on a worm shaft F, having its
bearings on the plate F. On one end of this shaft is a worm wheel, which gears
into a worm mounted on a short vertical shaft turning in a bracket bearing
bolted to the main framing. This shaft, it will be seen, passes through an opening in
the plate F for its worm to reach the worm wheel -Fitted on a feather carried by
the shaft F is a sleeve f* carrying on a feather a coned friction wheel, which works
in contact with a friction wheel fo sliding on the feather of a sleeve, which slides on
the feather of a horizontal shaft F. This shaft is also carried by a bracket bolted to
one side of the framing, and on its inner end it carries a bevel wheel in gear with
a bevel wheel e of the main driving shaft E.
Surrounding these sleeves are coiled springs inserted between the head of the
sleeve and the cone wheel for the purpose of forcing forward the cone wheels, and
holding them in frictional contact with each other.
By this arrangement of gearing, a continuous axial motion is given to the spindles f,
whereby the coils of thread laid on the spindles are slowly unwound. It is, however,
necessary, as already stated, that the tension of the thread shall gradually decrease as
the winding proceeds. This I effect by so timing the gearing that the coils of thread
around the spindles shall decrease in number with the progress of the winding.
It is for the purpose of further ensuring this result, that the friction wheels are
introduced. These I connect together by means of a bell crank lever G mounted on
a pivot which carries an index finger G'overlying a graduated sector.
The arms of this bell crank lever terminate in forks which respectively embrace
the grooved heads of the sleeves f ƒ carrying their respective cone wheels ff.
When, therefore, the bell crank is tipped, the friction wheels will be shifted relatively
to each other on their shafts, the larger diameter of the one being brought into contact
with the smaller diameter of the other-In this way a nicer adjustment of the relative
speeds of the spindles fand of the travelling threads over them is obtained, when such
adjustment is required.
To facilitate the coiling of the thread on the spindles, they are made capable of
receiving an endway motion, whereby their worm wheels are drawn clear. of the
worms on the shaft F, and they may then be freely turned to lay the thread in any
given number of coils upon their periphery.
Each thread, before coiling, is led through a guide eye 1, then through the end of
the spindle, thence through an elastic or spring eye 2 to the guide d, and thence to
the holder, to which it is attached. When the spindle is thus threaded up, an axial
motion is imparted to it by hand, to lay on three or more coils, after which its worm

page_text: wheel is put into gear with its worm, and the required tension at starting the winding
is secured.
A coiled spring surrounding the spindle and placed between its outer bearing and a
collar made fast to the spindle serves to hold the spindle in position, and yet allow of
its being drawn back to unship its worm wheel.
It will now be understood that if three or four coils of thread around the spindle
suffice to put the requisite drag on the thread at the starting of the winding operation,
and that a slow unwinding motion is given to the spindles, the tension will slacken as
the winding proceeds, some two, or perhaps three, coils being unwound during the
action of the machine. If more tension is required that can be secured by an
additional coil of the thread around the spindles, and if less tension is found desirable
for the particular character of thread under treatment, a less number of coils at
starting will suffice. So, also, when the set speed of rotation of the spindles is found
to be in excess, or short of the requirements of the thread, the shifting of the friction
wheels ff in the proper direction will provide for the adjustment desired.
In the drawing, the machine is shewn as containing twelve holders, six for each
spindle, but the machine may be constructed to contain a larger or a lesser number,
the reciprocating bar D having a proportionately increased or diminished number of
thread guides.
It will be understood that all the holders of the machine at one time
will be of the same size and character, as otherwise the work of winding could not be
carried on. The adjustment of the frame B will be made to suit the diameter of the
holders, and the proper change wheel will be selected to correspond with the holders
as above mentioned.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said invention
and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what I claim is :—
1. The mode of winding thread upon holders formed with spurs or arms as described
and illustrated in the drawings.
2. The construction of thread holders with spurs or arms as above described.
3. The combination in thread winding machinery, of reciprocating thread guides
with a compound rotating shaft or spindle carrying spur-shaped disc holders, and
uncoiling tension apparatus for winding threads in the plane of rotation of the
holders, as described with reference to Figs. 9 and 10.
Dated this 12th day of October 1887.