IMPROVEMENTS IN DOUBLING AND TWISTING MACHINES
Year: 1875

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Martin Benson, of No. 9, Southampton Buildings,
London, for the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN DOUBLING AND
TWISTING MACHINES." -A communication from abroad by Joseph
Frank Wicks, of the City and County of Providence, in the State
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Martin Benson at the
Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on the
12th October 1875.
I, MARTIN BENSON, of No. 9, Southampton Buildings, London, do
hereby declare the nature of the said Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN
DOUBLING AND TWISTING MACHINES," a communication to me from abroad
by Joseph Frank Wicks, of the City and County of Providence, in
the State of Rhode Island, United States of North America, to be as
follows:-
انم
annlicable to doubling and twisting

page_text: in the manufacture of textile fabrics that very considerable loss is
incident to the operation of twisting and doubling. This loss is varied
in its character, and although occurring at various stages in the
operation of manufacturing, is chargeable squarely to imperfect
operations of the "doubler." Commencing with the doubler itself, it is
well known that whenever one of the yarns breaks there is a liability
of an undue delivery of the broken end before it is discovered, or when
one breaks and the other continues to be delivered until broken by the
drag on the flyer, then this other end is liable to be gathered in by the
next adjacent spindle. If discovered and properly corrected by the
operative, the waste from the broken ends mainly constitues the loss;
if discovered and not fully corrected by withdrawing the triple twist
and commencing anew with newly joined ends the yarn goes to the
weaver, and either subsequently involves a loss, represented by the
time of the weaver and the loom, if the imperfect yarn be picked from
the warp, or if not attended to by the weaver at that time, which is
too often the case, the loss appears in the form of goods known as
" seconds."
3
Various methods have heretofore been proposed, and to some extent
practised, with a view to reducing to a minimum losses of the character
enumerated, but I know of none which practically obviate these
difficulties.
Strap motions have been heretofore employed involving the use of
devices for lifting a top roller from a constantly revolving roller for
preventing the action of the rolls upon broken ends, but these revolving
rolls are liable to so engage with a broken end as to cause a continued
draught of yarn from its bobbin. Others have involved the employment
of a friction drum, located between the bobbins from which the yarns
are delivered, and a thread eye lever through which the yarns pass on
their way to the flyer. When one yarn is broken, followed by the
breaking of the remaining yarn, the thread eye lever is tilted by a
counterweight and engages with the mechanism which revolves the
friction drum, and stops it. In operation these doublers are defective,
in that it is impracticable to maintain a uniform degree of friction
between the drum and the yarn, because the drum being frictionally
mounted on a spindle is liable at times to be more or less easily rotated
independently of its spindle than is desired. Moreover, the drum
must be clad with leather or other similar material, in order that a

page_text: good frictional surface may be afforded, and this leather, especially when
used on wollen yarns, is liable to speedy wear and requires frequent
removal; then again, with this device, no provision has been made for
absolutely preventing the broken ends from being taken up by the
adjacent spindles.
It has also been heretofore proposed to independently drive the
delivery rolls by means of a constantly revolving rod or roll, with which
the lower delivery roll frictionally engages, and to effect a stoppage of
the delivery rolls by mounting them in a swinging frame controlled by
a strap motion lever through an eye in which the yarn passes, so
arranged that when a yarn breaks, the swinging frame removes the
lower delivery roll from contact with the constantly revolving rod or
roll. Such doublers require a complex arrangements of levers and
weights in order that proper frictional contact between the driving and
driven roll may be maintained, and in order that the swinging frame or
standard may be properly controlled. The constantly driven rod or roll
being located below the lower delivery roll is liable to catch lint and
oil, and so have its frictional driving power impaired, thereby resulting
in irregular motion of the delivery rolls and bad twisting. Moreover,
the constantly driven roll or rod is liable to catch and wind up the
broken end thereon, as the bottom delivery roll itself, if that roll were
constantly driven. In "throttle frames" in which drawing rolls are
employed, the middle and rear rolls have been heretofore independently
driven by means of cog gearing and friction clutch, and arranged to be
stopped on the breaking of the roving, but in such drawing frames the
front or delivery rolls are continuously operated. Still another method
has been heretofore proposed of checking the delivery of yarn from the
rolls of a doubler after an end has been broken, which involves in con-
nection with a constantly revolving bottom roll a tab controlled by a
lever, which, when the yarn breaks, allows the tab (composed of clothi
or leather) to enter between the delivery rolls from the rear, on top of
the lower roll, and beneath the yarn, thus preventing the yarn from
being directly acted upon by the lower roll. In this machine, however,
the lower roll constantly revolving is liable to engage with the down-
hanging broken end and warps itself therewith, resulting in wast and
requiring nearly if not quite the same watchful care as if no stopping
device was employed.

page_text: produces better results in doubling than any other class of machines,
but with this machine, as heretofore constructed, the roller beam
cannot be controlled by a stop motion at each spindle without
stopping the entire machine, except the strap motions be arranged as
heretofore mentioned so as to lift an individual top roll from the con-
stantly revolving bottom roll, as already referred to, and then they
would be open to the objection already cited. In connection with the
roller beam doubler it has also been heretofore proposed (and perhaps
to some extent practiced) to employ a stop motion which on the
breakage of the thread will throw the band from the spindle. This
latter method, however, provides in no manner for so controlling the
roller beam as to prevent further delivery of the yarns, because the
roller continues to revolve, nor for so controlling the broken ends that
they cannot be taken up by adjacent spindles.
Doubling machines embodying my improvements operate with all
the desirable advantages of the "roller beam doubler," and at the
same time they prevent undue withdrawal of yarn from the delivery
bobbins after an end is broken, and also so controll the broken ends as
to practically render it impossible for them to be taken up by adjacent
yarns and spindles.
My Invention consists mainly in the combination with each spindlo
of independently driven delivery rolls, which are mounted in fixed
standards, and a stopping mechanism, whereby on the breakage of the
threads both of said rolls will be prevented from revolving, and thus
absolutely prevented from unduly withdrawing yarn from the delivery
bobbins.
My Invention further consists in the combination with cach spindle
of a stop-motion lever and an "end controller," which when a break of
the yarn occurs carries the broken ends backward and away from the
spindles independently of the stop-motion lever.
CC
My Invention further consists in the combination with a bed plate
provided with means for attaching it to the frame of a doubler" and
standards, of two rolls and a stop-motion lever, both with and without
an "end controller," said combination constituting an attachment to be
made and sold for application to doublers already in use.

page_text: SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent,
filed by the said Martin Benson in the Great Seal Patent Office
on the 7th April 1876.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, MARTIN
BENSON, of No. 9, Southampton Buildings, London, send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her
Letters Patent, bearing date the Twelfth day of October, in the
year of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and seventy-five, in the
thirty-eighth year of Her reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and suc-
cessors, give and grant unto me, the said Martin Benson, Her special
licence that I, the said Martin Benson, my executors, administrators,
and assigns, or such others as I, the said Martin Benson, my exccutors,
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 "IMPROVEMENTS IN
DOUBLING AND TWISTING MACHINES," a communication to me from abroad
by Joseph Frank Wicks, of the City and County of Providence, in
the State of Rhode Island, United States of North America, upon
the condition (amongst others) that I, the said Martin Benson, my
executors or administrators, 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 imme-
diately after the date of the said Letters Patent.
NOW KNOW YE, that I, the said Martin Benson, 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:―
My said improvements are applicable to doubling and twisting
machines as generally constructed. It is well known to persons skilled
in the manufacture of textile fabrics that very considerable loss is
incident to the operation of twisting and doubling. This loss is varied
in its character, and although occurring at various stages in the operation
of manufacturing, is chargeable squarely to imperfect operations of the

page_text: "doubler." Commencing with the doubler itself, it is well known that
whenever one of the yarns breaks there is a liability of an undue
delivery of the broken end before it is discovered, or when one breaks
and the other continues to be delivered until broken by the drag on the
flyer, then this other end is liable to be gathered in by the next adjacent
spindle. If discovered and properly corrected by the operative the waste
from the broken ends mainly constitute the loss; if discovered and not
fully corrected by withdrawing the triple twist and commencing anew
with newly joined ends, the yarn goes to the weaver and either sub-
sequently involves a loss represented by the time of the weaver and the
loom, if the imperfect yarn be picked from the warp, or if not attended
to by the weaver at the time, which is too often the case, the loss appears
in the form of goods known as " seconds."
Various methods have heretofore been proposed and to some extent
practised with a view to reducing to a minimum losses of the character
enumerated, but I know of none which practically obviate these
difficulties.
Stop motions have been heretofore employed involving the use of
devices for lifting a top roller from a constantly revolving roller,
for preventing the action of the rolls upon broken ends, but these
revolving rolls are liable to so engage with a broken end as to cause a
continued draught of yarn from its bobbin. Others have involved the
employment of a friction drum located between the bobbins from which
yarns are delivered, and a thread eye lever through which the yarns
pass on their way to the flyer. When one yarn is broken, followed by
the breakage of the remaining yarn, the thread eye lever is tilted by a
counterweight and engages with the mechanism which revolves the
friction drum and stops it. In operation these doublers are defective, in
that it is impracticable to maintain a uniform degree of friction between
the drum and the yarn, because the drum being frictionally mounted on
a spindle is liable at times to be more or less easily rotated independently
of its spindle than is desirable. Moreover the drum must be clad with
leather or other similar material in order that a good frictional surface
may be afforded, and this leather especially when used on wollen yarns
is liable to speedy wear and requires frequent renewal; then again with
this device no provission has been made for absolutely preventing the
broken ends from being taken up by the adjacent spindles.
It has also heretofore been proposed to independently drive the delivery

page_text: rolls by means of a constantly revolving rod or roll with which the
lower delivery roll frictionally engages, and to effect a stoppage of the
delivery rolls by mounting them in a swinging frame controlled by
stop motion lever through an cyc in which the yarn passes, so arranged
that when a yarn breaks the swinging frame removes the lower delivery
roll from contact with the constantly revolving rod or roll. Such
doublers require a complex arrangement of levers and weights, in order
that proper frictional contact between the driving and driven roll may
be maintained, and in order that the swinging frame or standard may be
properly controlled. The constantly driven rod or roll being located
below the lower delivery roll is liable to catch lint and oil, and so have
its frictional power impaired, thereby resulting in irregular motion
of the delivery rolls and bad twisting. Moreover the constantly driven
rod or roll is liable to catch and wind up the broken end thercon, as the
bottom delivery roll itself if that roll were constantly driven. In
throstle frames in which drawing rolls are employed the middle and
rear rolls have been heretofore independently driven by means of cog
gearing and friction clutch, and arranged to be stopped on the breakage
of the roving, but in such drawing frames the front or delivery rolls aro
continuously operated. Still another method has been heretoforc
proposed of checking the delivery of yarn from the rolls of a doubler
after an end has been broken, which involves in connection with a
constantly revolving bottom roll a tab controlled by a lever, which when
the yarn breaks allows the tab (composed of cloth or leather) to enter
between the delivery rolls from the rear on top of the lower roll and
beneath the yarn, thus preventing the yarn from being directly acted
upon by the lower roll. In this machine, however, the lower roll
constantly revolving is liable to engage with the down hanging broken
end and warp itself therewith, resulting in waste and requiring nearly, if
not quite the same watchful care as if no stopping device was employed.
It is a fact long conceded that the well-known roller beam doubler
produces better results in doubling than any other class of machines, but
with this machine as heretofore constructed the roller beam cannot be
controlled by a stop motion at each spindle without stopping the entire
machine, except the stop motions be arranged as heretofore mentioned, so
as to lift an individual top roll from the constantly revolving bottom roll
as already refered to, and then they would be open to the objection
already cited. In connection with the roller beam doubler it has also

page_text: heretofore been proposed (and perhaps to some extent practised) to
employ a stop motion, which on the breakage of the thread will throw
the band from the spindle. This latter method however provides in no
manner for so controlling the roller beam as to prevent further delivery
of the yarns because the roller continues to revolve, nor for so con-
trolling the broken ends that they cannot be taken up by adjacent
spindles.
Doubling machines embodying my improvements operate with all the
desirable advantages of the "roller beam doubler," and at the same time
they prevent undue withdrawal of yarn from the delivery bobbins after
an end is broken, and also so control the broken ends as to practically
render it impossible for them to be taken up by adjacant yarns and
spindles.
My Invention consists mainly in the combination with each spindle
of independently driven delivery rolls which are mounted in fixed
standards, and a stopping mechanism whereby on the breakage of the
threads both of said rolls will be prevented from revolving, and thus
absolutly prevented from unduly withdrawing yarn from the delivery
bobbins.
My Invention further consists in the combination with each spindle of
a stop motion lever and an "end controller," which when a break
of a yarn occur carries the broken ends backward and away from the
spindles independently of the stop motion lever.'!
My Invention further consists in the combination with a bed plate
provided with means for attaching it to the frame of a "doubler," and
standards of two rolls and a stop motion lever, both with and without an
"end controller," said combination constituting an attachment to be
made for applying to doublers already in use.
To more particularly describe my Invention I will refer to the accom-
panying Drawings in which,-
Fig. 1 represents in perspective a doubling machine embodying my
improvements.
Fig. 2 represents on an enlarged scale partially in side view and
partially in section, the portion of the machine containing my Invention
and adapted to be made and sold as an attachment applicable to ordinary
doublers.

page_text: In the Drawings I show a machine with the spindles, flyers, copping
rail, and driving mechanism not unlike those in ordinary use. The shaft
A however is a feature to be introduced into the ordinary frame when
fitted to operate with my improvements. This shaft may be provided with
band pullies opposite each spindle as at a, or what is preferable thereto
it may be provided with a small tin cylinder extending its whole length.
B denotes a bed plate, such as I make when my device is intended
for sale as an attachment to doublers. In that case it is slotted longi-
tudinally for adjustment to a convenient portion of the frame of the
machine. It is provided with two sets of standards; those at 6 serve as
supports for the delivery rolls. The lower roll C is provided with axial
studs, which have bearings in suitable holes in the standards. The top
roll D has also axial studs which have their bearings on inclined lateral
surfaces on the inner side of the standards, so that at all times it presses
with its full weight upon the bottom roll. This upper roll when in
position has its axis sufficiently to the rear of the axis of the bottom roll
that it is self-maintained in its position with relation to the bottom
roll. The bottom roll has a cord or band pulley, as at c located on its
axial stud between one end of the roll and the adjacent side of one of
the standards. Outside of this pulley is a ratchet wheel, as at d, which
is also secured to the axis of the lower roll. A belt cord from the
shaft A passes around the pulley c, and imparts to the bottom roler the
requisite movement, the upper roll being meantime revolved by frictional
contact with the lower roll. E denotes the stop motion lever. It is
pivoted to the standard e on the bed plate, and extends from a point
beneath the lower roll to the spindles. The front portion of this
lever is jointed, as at f, so as to admit of its being raised for the
removal of the flyer and bobbin from the spindle; this portion of
the lever carries the pot eye as at g. The pot eye arm as heretofore
employed has been so jointed as to admit of this upward movement,
and my Invention does not therefore relate to making the front end
of the stop motion lever jointed, as shown. The jointed front end of
the stop motion lever is longitudinally slotted, and is provided with
an adjustable weight, as at h, for effecting a proper counterpoise of
the lever. A thread eye at i is inserted into the lever near the joint.
F denotes a vertically sliding bar, which is arranged to freely rise and
fall in guides formed by openings in one of the standards b adjacent to
The upper end of this bar is turned inward, and
is arranged to engage with the teeth of the ratchet when not held at a
the ratchet wheel d.

page_text: certain height. The lower end of the bar also turns inward, and is
normally supported by the rear end of the stop motion lever. When
the front end of the stop motion lever is held down by the tension of
the
yarns the sliding bar is raised above the ratchet, and the rolls are
free to revolve, but on the contrary when the yarn breaks and the outer
end of the lever rises the sliding bar falls, engages with the ratchet,
and the rolls are stopped, the driving cord slipping on the pulley.
The spools from which the yarn is to be drawn for twisting are located
on pins or studs in the frame of the machine on each side of the roll
standards. The yarn is passed through an eye, as at k, thence upward
between the rolls, thence through the thread eye on the stop motion
lever, thence through the pot eye to the flyer and spindle. With rolls
thus constructed and combined with each spindle and a stop motion it
will be seen that a desirable tension is attained, as between the rolls and
the flyer, by the weight of the top roll on both threads, and that there-
fore so far as quality of service is concerned my doubler will operate
equally as well as the roller beam machine, and that as the delivery
rolls are both stopped on the breakage of the threads there can by no
possibility be any uduc withdrawal of yarn from the spools after the
stop motion has operated.
I will now describe the means whereby after the yarns have been
broken and the further delivery thereof ceased the broken ends are
controlled so that they can by no possibility be taken up by adjacent
"end controller
yarns or spindles. My novel
" is shown at G. It
consists of a light lever, which is provided with a lateral finger at its
end for crossing the path of the yarns on their way from the rolls to the
"pot eye" between the latter and the thread eye on the stop motion
lever; or this lever instead of having the lateral finger may be provided
with a thread eye. This lever is pivoted to the outside of one of the
standards e of the stop motion lever, and is provided with a circular
plate, having a grooved edge after the manner of a cord pulley. A
weight as at is secured to the lever by a cord occupying said grooved
edge, so that when the outer end of the lever is not held down by a
thread it rises and carries with it the broken ends until they are thrown
backward against the rolls, and they are there held securely against
possible contact with adjacent yarns or spindles.
It will be seen that after the stop motion has operated there is no
adjacent moving mechanism with which the broken ends may engage,

page_text: and whereby it may be wastefully withdrawn.
So far as relates to the
adjacent yarns and spindles on either side the "end controller" is
relied upon for holding the end securely.
For operating machines with my improvements on wollen yarns I
prefer that the top roll shall weigh about forty ounces, although a
somewhat lighter weight will enable them to render good service on
cotton, wool, or silk. When one thread breaks the flyer continues its
draught on the yarn as long as it has two threads in its eye, but when
the sound thread arrives at or passes the eye of the flyer said thread
also breaks on account of the drag at the flyer and bobbin, and the stop
motion operates. The broken ends have therefore the same length
when the break occurs between the rolls and the flyers, and can be
directly pieced to the solid thread on the spindle.
Although I have shown my improvements as applied to machines
having "flyers" they are in every way applicable to ring twisters, and
have a special value in that connection, owing to the greater tendency
in those machines for broken ends to be taken up by adjacent yarns and
spindles.
Having thus described the nature of my Invention and the manner
of working it, what I claim is,--
1rst. In a doubling and twisting machine the combination with each
spindle of independently driven delivery rolls mounted in stationary
standards and a stopping mechanism, substantially as described, whereby
on the breakage of the yarns of any spindle its delivery rolls will be
prevented from revolving, substantially as set forth.
2rd. The combination with each spindle in a doubling and twisting
machine of a stop motion lever and an "end controller," substantially
as described, whereby on the breakage of the yarn the broken end will
be carried backward away from the spindles and prevented from contact
with adjacent running yarns and spindles, independently of the stop
motion lever substantially as set forth.
3rd. The combination with a bed plate provided with stationary
standards, and arranged for attachment to the frame of a doubler, of
delivery rolls mounted on the stationary standards, and a stopping

page_text: mechanism mounted on the bed plate connected with the rolls and
arranged to permit or prevent their rotation, substantially as described.
In witness whercof, I, the said Martin Benson, have hereunto
set my hand and seal, this Seventh day of April, in the year of
our Lord One thousand cight hundred and seventy-five.