IMPROVEMENTS IN MACHINERY OR APPARATUS FOR SPINNING COTTON, WOOL, OR OTHER FIBROUS SUBSTANCES WHERE SELF-ACTING MULES ARE USED
Year: 1856

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to John Beads, of Pendleton, near Manchester, in tho
County of Lancaster, Manager, for the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN
MACHINERY OR APPARATUS FOR SPINNING COTTON, WOOL, OR OTHER FIBROUS
SUBSTANCES WHERE SELF-ACTING MULES ARE USED."
Sealed the 29th April 1856, and dated the 25th January 1856.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said John Beads at the Office
of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on the 25th January
1856.
I, JOHN BEADS, of Pendleton, near Manchester, in the County of Lancaster,
Manager, do hereby declare the nature of the said Invention for "IMPROVE-
MENTS IN MACHINERY OR APPARATUS FOR SPINNING COTTON, WOOL, OR OTHER
FIBROUS SUBSTANCES WHERE SELF-ACTING MULES ARE USED," to be as follows:-
Instead of the cam and friction pullies, as used in Sharp & Roberts's self-
acting mule, I introduce gearing wheels, that is, for the friction pully I
substitute a star wheel, and for the cam I use a partial star wheel or a
toothed wheel, with the requisite vacancies, as is well understood by all per-
sons conversant with spinning machinery. By these improvements I make
the action or motion of the shaft perfectly positive, which has not been
hitherto accomplished to the best of my knowledge.

page_text: SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent, filed
by the said John Beads in the Great Seal. Patent Office on the 24th July
1856.
.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, JOHN
BEADS, of Pendleton,-near Manchester, in the County of Lancaster, Manager,
send greeting.
"
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her Royal
Letters Patent, bearing date the Twenty-fifth day of January, in the year of
our Lord One thousand eight hundred and fifty-six, in the nineteenth year
of Her reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give and grant unto
me, the said John Beads, Her special licence that I, the said John Beads, my
executors, administrators, and assigns, or such others as I, the said John
Beads, my executors, 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
MACHINERY OR APPARATUS FOR 'SPINNING COTTON, WOOL, OR OTHER FIBROUS SUB-
STANCES WHERE SELF-ACTING MULES ARE USED," upon the condition (amongst
others), that I, the said John Beads, by an instrument in writing under my
hand and seal, 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 immediately after, the date of the said Royal Letters
Patent..
NOW KNOW YE, that I, the said John Beads, do hereby declare the
nature of the said Invention, and in what manner the same is to be performed,
to be particularly described, and ascertained in and by the following, statement
(that is to say)
Instead of the. two friction pullies, as used in Sharp and Roberts' self-
neting mules, to take out the different changes, and put them in, I introduce à
star wheel and partial star wheel, or a. wheel with the, spaces of the teeth,
cogs, or rollers at different distances, to accommodate the different speeds at
which the wheels may be required to revolve, or the changes required. By
these improvements, I make the action or motion of the cam shaft perfectly
positive as well as differential; as required, the difference in the speed being
"

page_text: obtained by the wheels coming in contact below right angles and working up
to right angles in their greatest.action, and terminating above the right angles,
the number of the teeth, cogs, or rollers in.either wheels, being suited accord-
ing to the circumstances required. Either of the said wheels may be made of
any, kind of metal, wood, leather, horn, hoof, or other, suitable material, and
may also be composed of one, or more of the same or different substances.
Within the boss of either, or both of the wheels, I place springs of india-
rubber, or metal,.or packing of wood, leather, gutta percha, or other suitablo
material, to. soften, the. blow, or shock when the wheels come in contact. I
also employ, a double box. to support. or. carry, the end of the escape lever,
which box is packed with india-rubber, gutta percha;-steel; iron, or other kind
of springs, also with cotton, linen, pasteboard,, or any, suitable material, to
deaden the shock or blow when the projections on the escape plate come in
contact with the escape lever, thus acting, as a counterpoise, and effectually
preventing the breakages which might otherwise occur. I likewise employ a
break, which acts upon the backing-off cone, being put in-action by a cam or
eccentric on the cam shaft at the time that the driving strap is changing; from
the fast pulley on the rim shaft to the pulley.connected with the backing-off
and putting-up motion..
These improvements will be clearly understood by reference to the accom-
panying Sheet of Drawings with the figures and letters of reference. thereon,
the letters referring to each Figure,separately.
Fig. 1 is a section of the, star. wheel and, partial-star. wheel in contact with
each other; Fig. 2 is an end view, of the same;, Figs.. 3 and 4 are views of
the partial star wheel in detached parts; Fig. 5.is a section, shewing part
of the headstock of a mule with my improvements attached; Fig. 6 is a side
view of the same, and Fig. 7 is a, plan thereof; Fig. 8 is a view of the cam
for working the break ;. Fig. 9 is a section of the double box and packing;
to which the escape lever is attached; and Fig. 10 is a plan of the same.
In Figs. 1 and 2 the star wheel is represented. at a; it is made fast to the
cam shaft b, and driven by the partial star wheel c by means of the rollers or
cogs d,
of which three are shewn, but any required number, may be used.
The boss of the partial star wheel cis of two parts (Figs: 3 and 4), and made
with projections or lugs, so that packings of any flexible or slightly yielding
material may be placed between them in order to deaden the blow or shock
when the wheels come in contact. The inner boss e, with its projections f,
is made fast to the shaft g. The outer boss is shewn at h, and the projections
at . The packings are. represented at k. Although the bosses are here,

page_text: shewn with four lugs; one or more may be used, and, as before stated,
packings of any suitable material may be employed. The cogs or rollers d
turn in holes in the side plates 7, and are kept in 'their places by the plate m:
The star wheel a is shewn in one piece, though it may be a compound of one
or more of the same or various substances: In Figs. 5, 6, and 7, the star
wheel a and the partial star wheel care shewn connected to part of the head-
stock of a mule, nearly occupying the positions of the ordinary friction rollers.
The escape plate is shewn at n, and the escape lever at o, supported on a pin
in the double box p, furnished with springs or packings to counterpoise the
shocks or blows which take place during the changes. In Figures 9 and 10;
the inner box, to which the rod of the escape lever is attached, is shewn at g,
the outer box ater, and the packings at s. The break which acts upon the
backing-off cone is shewn at t; it is supported at one end on the frame of
the headstock, and the other is connected to the bowl or lug u, which rests
upon a cam or roller v, seen detached at Fig. 8, with the projection tooth w.
The cam or roller is fast to the cam shaft b, and is so placed that it may
pull the break and hold the backing-off cone when required. By the employ-
ment of the star wheel and partial star wheel, or modifications thereof, a
positive motion is given to the cam shaft, entirely free from the irregularities
attending the use of the friction pulleys they are intended to supersede.
บ
Having now fully described the nature and particulars of my said Inven-
tion, and the manner of carrying the same into practical effect, I desire it to
be distinctly understood that I do not confine myself to the exact details
herein set forth, as such may be varied or modified without departing from
the principle thereof; but I claim as my Invention, and which, to the best
of my knowledge and belief, has not been hitherto used within this realm,―
Firstly, the employment of a star wheel on the cam shaft of a mule, driven
by a partial star wheel with any number of teeth, cogs, or rollers, placed so as
to supersede the friction pulleys which are now in general use, the said wheels
to be composed of one or more parts of the same or different materials, and
either or both to be furnished with springs or other yielding substances, in
order to deaden the blow or shock when the changes take place.
Secondly, the employment of a double box to support the pin or fulcrum of
the escape lever, the said box being furnished with packings or springs of any
description, so as to deaden the blow when the projections on the escape plate
come in contact with the escape lever.
And, thirdly, the employment of a break, which acts upon the backing-off
cone, when the driving strap is changing from the fast pulley on the rim shaft

page_text: to the pulley connected with the backing off and putting-up motion, as all
such improvements are herein described, and illustrated in the accompanying
Sheet of Drawings.
In witness whereof, I, the said John Beads, have hereunto set my hand
and seal, this Twenty-third day of July, One thousand eight hundred
.and fifty-six.
Signed, sealed, and delivered by the within-named
John Beads, in the presence of
E. J. HUGHES, Patent Agent,
Manchester.
JOHN BEADS. (L.S.)