IMPROVEMENTS IN MULES FOR SPINNING AND DOUBLING COTTON AND OTHER FIBROUS MATERIALS."
Year: 1881

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Henry Robinson, of Bolton, in the County of Lancaster,
Spinning Manager, for an Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN MULES FOR
SPINNING AND DOUBLING COTTON AND OTHER FIBROUS MATERIALS."
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Henry Robinson at the Office
of the Commissioners of Patents on the 13th July 1881.
HENRY ROBINSON, of Bolton, in the County of Lancaster, Spinning Manager.
"IMPROVEMENTS IN MULES FOR SPINNING AND DOUBLING COTTON AND OTHER
FIBROUS MATERIALS."
My Invention consists in arrangements by which I am enabled to form the
without
bottom of the cops in " self-acting" mules so as to have a short "chase
increasing the liability to "under-wind."
To the ordinary copping rail I attach a supplementary rail capable of being
raised above or lowered to the level of the upper surface of the copping rail
aforesaid. To the usual copping plate or plates which carry the above named
copping rail in the ordinary manner I attach a nut through which passes a screw,
and by which the previously named supplementary rail may be raised above the
level of the copping rail aforesaid, thereby causing it to act upon the usual bowl
connected to the faller, thereby shortening the "chase" of the cop to any desired
extent.
As the building of the cop proceeds I cause the movements of the carriage of
the mule to bring stop or catch in contact with a rachet wheel mounted upon
one end of the before named screw, such stop rotating the said screw, thereby
lowering the above referred to supplementary rail, and thus increasing the length
of the "chase" of the cop until the above named bowl connected with the faller
arrives in contact with the copping rail when the building of the cop will proceed
in the usual manner.
In some cases the lowering of the supplementary rail above referred to will also
be controlled by the movement of the copping plate or plates, causing the aforesaid
supplementary rail to be carried beyond the range of screw previously mentioned,
and thus lower it to the level of the copping rail.

page_text: SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent filed by
the said Henry Robinson in the Great Seal Patent Office on the 13th January
1882.
HENRY ROBINSON, of Bolton, in the County of Lancaster, Spinning Manager
"IMPROVEMENTS IN MULES FOR SPINNING AND DOUBLING COTTON AND OTHER
FIBROUS MATERIALS."
My Invention consists in arrangements by which I am enabled to form the
bottom of the cops in "self acting" mules so as to have a short "chase" without
increasing the liability to "under wind." To the ordinary copping rail I attach a
supplementary rail capable of being raised above or lowered to the level of the upper
surface of the copping rail aforesaid. To the usual copping plate or plates which
carry the above named copping rail in the ordinary manner I attach a nut through
which passes a screw, and by which the previously named supplementary rail may
be raised above the level of the copping rail aforesaid, thereby causing it to act
upon the usual bowl connected to the faller, thereby shortening the "chase" of the
cop to any desired extent. As the building of the cop proceeds I cause the move-
ments of the carriage of the mule to bring a stop or catch in contact with a ratchet
wheel mounted upon one end of the before named screw, such stop rotating the
said screw, thereby lowering the above referred to supplementary rail, and thus
increasing the length of the "chase" of the cop until the above named bowl
connected with the faller arrives in contact with the copping rail, when the
building of the cop will proceed in the usual manner. In some cases the lowering
of the supplementary rail above referred to will also be controlled by the movement
of the copping plate or plates, causing the aforesaid supplementary rail to be carried
beyond the range of screw previously mentioned, and thus lower it to the level of
the copping rail. In order that my Invention may be more readily understood and
carried into effect, I will now proceed to describe the same, reference being made
to the accompanying Drawings, in which Figure 1 is an elevation, and Figure 2 a
plan of so much of a self acting mule as is requisite to illustrate my Invention,
similar letters of reference being placed upon corresponding parts in both views.
At 3 is a vertical plate capable of being slidden in a longitudinal direction upon
suitable guides or supports, such guides or supports being omitted to avoid
confusion, the aforesaid plate 3 having a projecting horizontal part 4 formed there-
with, upon which and capable of being slidden thereon are the copping plates 5, 6,
joined together by the bar 7. At 8 is the copping rail provided with studs 9, 10,
projecting therefrom, such studs resting upon the copping plates 5, 6. One end 10* of
the stud 10 is prolonged and passes into a vertical recess or groove 11 formed within
the plate 3, such grove allowing the projecting end of the stud 10 to rise and fall
vertically, but acts as a guide to prevent the stud being moved sideways. To the
projecting part 4 is attached a bracket 12, passing through which and capable of
being rotated therein is one end of a screw 13, the other end thereof passing into
and being supported by a bracket 14 secured to the projecting part 4 by means
of set screws. The screw 13 is prevented from moving in a longitudinal direction
by the collars 15, 16, formed thereon. The screw 13 passes through and takes into
a nut 17 within a projecting part 18 formed upon the copping plate 5. Mounted
fast upon the screw 13 is a toothed pinion 19 gearing into another toothed
pinion 20 mounted upon a shaft 21, so as to be capable of being slidden
longitudinally thereon, and also capable of transmitting motion thereto by
means of a key and groove 22 formed in the shaft 21, such shaft 21 being
capable of being rotated in brackets 14, 23, secured to the projecting part 4

page_text: 草堂
by means of set screws. The shaft 21 is prevented from moving end ways by
collars and set hoop 24, 25. Upon the shaft 21 and fast thereon is mounted &
wheel 26 provided with diagonal or skew teeth, so as to be capable of gearing into
another pinion 27, also provided with diagonal or skew teeth so that it may receive
motion from the wheel 26. The pinion 27 is mounted upon a short shaft 28
capable of being rotated within a bracket 29 secured to the plate 3, a continuation
of the shaft 28 is formed as a quick threaded screw 28*, this screw portion of the
shaft 28, being of larger diameter than the short shaft 28, forms a collar, which
along with the wheel 27 prevents the screw from being moved in a longitudinal
direction. The screw 28* passes through and takes into a nut 30 capable of being
slidden between guides 31, 32, formed upon the bracket 29, one of such guides 32
being formed as a V, and secured to the bracket 29 by screws, such V guide 32
retaining the nut 30 in position against the other guide 31, more clearly shown
in the detached view, Figure 3. The nut 30 is formed with a projecting part, the
outer and upper end thereof being formed as an incline 30*. Within the upper
edge of the copping rail 8 I form a groove or recess within which is a bar 33,
one end thereof being jointed to the copping rail 8 by a pin 34, upon which the
bar 33 is free to move. The opposite end of the bar 33 to that jointed upon the
pin 34 is supported at times, as I will hereafter point out, by the incline 30*. For
convenience of description I shall hereafter refer to the bar 33 as the supplementary
copping rail.
At 35 is a portion of the carriage of the mule, extending therefrom
is a bracket 36, within which and capable of sliding vertically therein is a block 37
provided with a stud 38 secured to the block 37 by a nut 39. Upon the stud 38
and free to rotate thereon is a bowl 40, which is connected to and acts upon the
'faller." In the position of the parts, as shewn, the carriage is run in, but upon
its outward movement or run being completed the bowl 40 will have arrived in
the position indicated by the dotted line 41. During the outward and inward
movements of the carriage the plate 3 is also traversed in the same direction but
in a less degree, the traversing of the bowl 40 from the position A to the
position B representing the "stretch," as will be well understood by persons con-
versant with what is known as the "short copping rail." When commencing the
building of the cop the supplementary copping rail 33 is raised above the
surface 8* of the copping rail 8 by its end 33* being supported by the
incline 30*, the bowl 40 travelling along the upper surface of the supple-
mentary copping rail 33 as the carriage performs its inward and outward run.
As the building of the cop proceeds I am enabled by my Invention to rapidly
increase the length of the chase of the cop in the following manner :-Upon
an extended portion of the screw 13 and fast therewith is mounted a ratchet
wheel 42, between the boss of the ratchet wheel 42 and the collar 16 is mounted
a double lever 43 free to oscillate upon the shaft 13. One arm 43* of the lever 43
is formed as a weight 43** so as to be heavier than the other arm of the lever 43.
Upon the bracket 12 is formed a projecting part 44 through which is tapped a set
screw 45 secured in any desired position by a lock nut 46, the point of the set
screw 45 serving as an abutment or support to the arm 43* of the lever 43, a
part 47 projecting therefrom overhanging the point of the set screw 45. To the
weighted arm 43** is jointed a pawl or click 48 taking into the teeth of the
ratchet wheel 42. The arm 43 of the double lever is provided with a face 43***
against which a projecting part attached to the carriage will arrive when the
carriage is performing its outward run, such projection depressing the arm 43; such
movement acting through the pawl or click 48 will cause the ratchet wheel 42 and
screw 13 to be partially rotated in the direction of the arrow on the ratchet
wheel 42; the screw 13 acting upon the nut 17 will draw the copping plates 5, 6,
in the direction of the arrows C, D, thereby causing the copping rail to be
lowered. The partial rotation of the screw 13 acting through media of the
5 wheels 19, 20, shaft 21, wheels 26, 27, and screw 28, will draw the nut 30 in the
direction of the arrow E, the inclined surface 30* of the said nut 30 causing a
lowering of the supplementary copping rail 33. Upon repeated movements of the
"
3

page_text: carriage 35 taking place the ratchet wheel 42 will be again partially rotated,
which will cause further movements of the copping plates 5, 6, and, incline 30* as
above described to take place until the incline 30* is withdrawn clear of the
end 33× of the supplementary copping rail 33, which will then rest upon the bottom
of the slot formed within the copping rail 8. The bowl 40 having also followed the
downward movement of the supplementary copping rail 33 will now run upon
the surface 8* of the copping rail 8, as the surface of the copping rail 8 and that of
the supplementary copping rail 33 have become coincident. The copping rail 8 now
acts upon the faller through the bowl 40 in the usual manner, the "chase" of the
cop having been formed by the supplementary copping rail 33. To the copping
plate 5 is attached by a set screw a bracket 49, one end 50 of which projects
along the wheel 20, so that as the copping plate 5 is traversed in the direction of
the arrow C, as before described, the wheel 20 is removed out of gear with the
wheel 19, and consequently the shaft 21 will receive no further rotation from the
wheel 19. But upon the cop being completed the copping plates 5, 6, are again
placed into the position shewn on the Drawing by placing a handle upon the
squared portion 13* of the screw 13 and rotating it in a direction opposite to
that of the arrow upon the ratchet wheel 42. The shaft 21 is then rotated in a
direction opposite to that previously described by placing a handle upon the
squared portion 21* thereof, and rotating it until the incline 30* arrives in the
position shewn in the Drawings. The wheel 20 may now be slidden along the
shaft 21 and passed into gear with the wheel 19 as shewn. The parts are now
again in position for commencing a fresh cop. By the above described arrangements
I am enabled to form the bottom of a cop so as to have a short chase without
increasing the liability to "underwind." I have above referred to what are known
as "short copping rails" only, but it will be readily understood by persons
conversant with self acting mules that my Invention is also applicable to long
copping rails, the supplementary copping rail being made proportionately longer
when applied thereto.
Having thus described the nature of my said Invention and the manner in which
the same is to be performed, I desire it to be understood that I claim,―
The use of a supplementary copping rail for forming the chase of the cop, actuated
substantially in the manner above described and shewn.
In witness whereof, I, the said Henry Robinson, have hereunto set my hand
and seal, this Twelfth day of January, in the year of our Lord One
“thousand eight hundred and eighty two.
Signed, sealed, and delivered by
the within named Henry
Robinson in the presence of
HOWARD CHEETHAM,
Assistant to W. T. Cheetham,
Patent Agent,
18, St. Ann's St.,
Manchester.
HENRY ROBINSON. (L.S.)