IMPROVEMENTS IN MACHINERY FOR WINDING OR BALLING COTTON OR OTHER YARN OR THREAD
Year: 1871

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Robert Dunseith McKellen, of Manchester, in
the County of Lancaster, Manufacturer, for the Invention of
"IMPROVEMENTS IN MACHINERY FOR WINDING OR BALLING COTTON OR OTHER
YARN OR THREAD."
'
Sealed the 8th December 1871, and dated the 10th June 1871.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Robert Dunseith
M Kellen at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his
Petition, on the 10th June 1871.
I, ROBERT DUNSEITH M'KELLEN, of Manchester, in the County of
5 Lancaster, Manufacturer, do hereby declare the nature of the said
Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN MACHINERY FOR WINDING OR BALLING COTTON
OR OTHER YARN OR THREAD," to be as follows :—
·
My Invention relates to machinery for forming cotton or other yarn
into balls, and consists more particularly in improvements in a former
O Invention for which Her Majesty's Royal Letters Patent, bearing date
the Fifth day of February, in the year One thousand eight hundred and
sixty-eight, have been granted unto meor

page_text: In the said former Invention after a ball had been partly formed a
tube or holder containing a number of tickets was brought into such
a position as that a ticket was withdrawn from the lower end of the
said holder by the suction of air entering the upper end of the hollow
winding spindle, and on the completion of the ball the loose end of t
the thread was held by a pair of nippers actuated by cams.
According to my present Invention a hollow finger withdraws a single
ticket from a holder or reservoir and brings the said ticket into position
to be received on to the end of the winding spindle. A number of the
said fingers corresponding to the number of the winding spindles are
fixed or formed on a hollow shaft, and there is a communication for
the passage of air between the said shaft and the inlet pipe of the fan,
so that when the end of each finger rests upon the upper or outer
ticket in the ticket holder and a valve in the air passage has been
opened the said ticket is sustained on the end of the finger by the 1
rarefaction of the air within the said finger. When the tickets havo
to be placed in position the ends of the said fingers are moved into
positions opposite to the upper ends of the winding spindles, each
finger presenting a ticket at the end of a partly formed ball. The
aforesaid air valve is now closed and a valve in the air passage com- 2
municating with the interior of each winding spindle is opened, whereby
the tickets are withdrawn from the fingers and are retained on the ends
of the said spindles. To ensure the receipt of a ticket by each finger
the tickets in each holder are raised by means of an elastic cord or
connection until the upper or outer ticket bears against the end of the 2
said finger. The aforesaid nippers and the parts actuating the same are
dispensed with, and the end of the thread is held by a spring clip or
pair of spring nippers, which is attached to the "doffing cup," and
which seizes the thread when the said cup is moved upwards during the
operation of 'doffing.
In my former Invention the flyers were driven by means of cords.
In my present Invention I drive the said flyers by a positive motion.
A bevil wheel or pinion is fixed on the spindle of each flyer, and the
. said pinion gears with a wheel fixed on a shaft which actuates the whole
of the flyers. The flyers are caused to rest in the required position by g
a stop fixed on the said shaft coming into contact with a finger, which
is moved towards the said stop whenever the parts giving motion to
the said flyers and the winding spindles are thrown out of gear. The

page_text: sliding bar and the separate stop and finger for each flyer are thuš
dispensed with.
The bar connecting the "doffing cups" is, in my present Invention,
actuated by a longitudinal shaft, which receives an intermittent motion
from a bevil quadrant fixed on a shaft corresponding to one of the two
shafts which actuated the nippers in my former machine, the other of
the said shafts being now dispensed with. The said quadrant gives
motion at intervals to a bevil pinion fixed on the said longitudinal shäft,
and motion is communicated therefrom to the last-named bar by means
of cords passing over pulleys, or of racks and pinions, or of levers, as
preferred.
In lieu of the worm and worm wheel and the bevil gearing for giving
motion to the "tappet shaft," I now connect the said shaft with the
driving shaft by means of a train of spur gearing, portions of which
gearing may be readily changed when it is necessary to alter the relative
speed of the said tappet shaft.
I also employ spur gearing to impart the differential motion .to the
shaft actuating the winding spindles in lieu of the straps and pulleys
used in the former machine.
66
In addition to the herein-before described improvements, which
greatly simplify the construction of the machine and at the same time
add to the certainty of its action, I have added an additional frame to
one end of the machine, so as to form a 'headstock," and I have
arranged the gearing and the greater part of the other motions within
the said headstock, the other end of the machine being thus freed from
straps and gearing.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent,
filed by the said Robert Dunseith McKellen in the Great Seal
Patent Office on the 9th December 1871.
0 TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, ROBERT
DUNSEITH MCKELLEN, of Manchester, in the County of Lancaster,
Manufacturer, send greeting.

page_text: Lord One thousand eight hundred and seventy-one, in the thirty-fourth
year of Her reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give and
grant unto me, the said Robert Dunseith M.Kellen, Her special license
that I, the said Robert Dunscith MºKellen, my executors, administrators,
and assigns, or such others as I, the said Robert Dunseith McKellen,
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 1
"IMPROVEMENTS IN MACHINERY FOR WINDING OR BALLING COTTON OR OTHER YARN
OR THREAD," upon the condition, amongst others, that I, the said Robert
Dunseith McKellen, 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 1
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 Letters
Patent.
NOW KNOW YE, that I, the said Robert Dunseith McKellen, do
hereby declare the nature of my said Invention, and in what manner 2
the same is to be performed, to be particularly described and ascertained
in and by the following statement and accompanying Drawings, that
is to say :-
My Invention relates to machinery for forming cotton or other yarns
into balls, and consists more particularly in improvements in a former 2
Invention for which Her Majesty's Royal Letters Patent, bearing date
the Fifth day of February, in the year One thousand eight hundred and
sixty-eight, have been granted unto me.
In the said former Invention after a ball had been partly formed a
tube or holder containing a number of tickets was brought into such a
a position as that a ticket was withdrawn from the lower end of the
said holder by the suction of air entering the upper end of the hollow
winding spindle, and on the completion of this ball the loose end of
the thread was held by a pair of nippers actuated by cams.
According to my present Invention a hollow finger withdraws a 3
single ticket from a holder or reservoir and brings the said ticket into
position to be received on to the end of the winding spindle. The
aforesaid nippers and the parts actuating the same are dispensed with,

page_text: and the. end of the thread is held by a spring clip or pair of spring
nippers, which is attached to the. " doffing cup," and which seizes.
the thread when the said cup is moved upwards during the operation
of doffing.
In my former Invention the flyers were driven by means of cords..
In my present Invention. I drive the said flyers by a positive motion.
The flyers are caused to rest in the required position by a stop fixed
on the said shaft coming into contact with a finger which is moved
towards the said stop whenever the parts giving motion to the said flyers
and the winding spindles are thrown out of gear. The sliding bar and.
the separate stop and finger for each flyer are thus dispensed with. The
bar connecting the " doffing cups" is in my present Invention actuated
by a longitudinal shaft which receives an intermittent motion from a
"bevil quadrant "fixed on a shaft corresponding to one of the two
shafts which actuated the nippers in my former machine, the other
of the said shafts being now. dispensed with.
In lieu of the worm and worm wheel and the bevil gearing for
giving motion to the tappet shaft I now connect the said shaft with
the driving shaft by means of a train of spur gearing, portions of
which gearing may be readily changed when it is necessary to alter
the relative speed of the said tappet shaft.
I also employ spur gearing to impart the differential motion to the
shaft actuating the winding spindles in lieu of the straps and pulleys
used in the former machine.
In addition to the herein-before described improvements, which greatly
simplify the construction of the machine and at the same time add to
the certainty of its action, I have added an additional frame to one
end of the machine, so as to form a headstock, and I have arranged
the gearing and the greater part of the other motions within the said
headstock, the other end of the machine being thus freed from driving
straps and gearing.
In order that my Invention may be fully understood I have supplied
two Sheets of Drawings marked with letters of reference to accompany
this Specification, parts recurring in the said Drawings being marked
with the same letters of reference.
Referring in this place to Sheet 1 of the said Drawings, Fig. 1 is a
front view of the improved machine; Fig. 2 is a vertical cross section.
:

page_text: on the line A, B; Fig. 3 is a vertical cross section on the line C, D;
Fig. 4 is a plan of the "headstock; Fig. 5 is an end view of the
machine showing the said headstock; and Fig. 6 is a back elevation
of the said headstock, the said Figures being drawn about one-sixth of
the full size.
In the said Figures, E is the additional frame, which in conjunction
with the frame F forms the aforesaid headstock. The machine illus-
trated is adapted to produce eight balls at one operation, but the
number of winding spindles may be varied. The tickets are contained
in tubular holders a, the number of the said holders corresponding to
the number of spindles. The tickets are sustained in the holders by a
sliding piece to which is attached one end of an elastic cord b, the other
end of the said cord being attached to a shaft d, which shaft is caused
to be rotated to some extent at intervals by means of the lever e
which is connected with the said shaft by means of the cord f and is
actuated at intervals by the cam g which is fixed on the tappet shaft h.
The said rotation of the shaft & raises the tickets until the uppermost
ticket presses against the end of the hollow ticket finger i. A number
of the said fingers are fixed to a hollow shaft j which communicates
by means of a pipe k with a fan 1, one part of the said pipe sliding
within the other so as to admit of the necessary motions of the shaft j.
The action of the said fan creates a slight vacuum within the shaft j,
which causes the uppermost tickets in the holders to attach themselves
to the ends of the fingers. The said shaft is fitted to be rotated in
bearings which are arranged to slide up and down in brackets m, m,
and are supported by cords n, n, to which cords weights c are attached,
the said weights acting to draw up the said shaft. To the said bearings
are also attached cords o, o, which are acted upon by pulleys p mounted
on levers q which are acted upon by cams or internal tappets r, fixed
near cach end of the tappet shaft h. The said shaft is connected by
a train of gearing and change wheels & with the driving shaft t, the
speed of revolution of the said tappet shaft being regulated by changing
the said wheels as required. As the said tappet shaft revolves the
tappets draw down the levers q, and the said levers acting on the
cords o draw down the shaft j. As the said shaft is drawn down it is
caused to turn over by the action of a cord u which is attached by one
end to the circumference of the said shaft, and is
of a spring or an clastic ring from a bracket v.
suspended by means
A cord w looped on

page_text: an arm x which projects from the shaft j regulates the extent of rotation
of the said shaft, the said cord being attached to a weighted lever y,
which is connected by the link with one of the levers q. When the
shaft j has partly descended the loop of the said cord slips up the arm x
towards the shaft j, and is wound on the said shaft to some extent as
the said shaft continues to turn over. The combined rotating and
descending movements of the said shaft cause the tickets which have
been withdrawn from the holders by the fingers to be presented
opposite the open ends of the spindles a', as shewn enlarged at Fig. 8.
At this time a tappet 6¹ fixed on the tappet shaft acts on a lever c¹,
shewn detached at Fig. 7, and the said lever opens a valvo d¹ and
thereby establishes a communication between the chamber f¹ and the
fan through the pipes e'. The valve d¹ is connected with a valve g³,
so that when the one valve opens the other valve closes, the effect
being that the communication between the fingers i and the fan is
closed, and at the same time a communication between the hollow
winding spindles a¹ and the said fan is opened, the said spindles being
connected with the chamber f¹, as shewn in Fig. 2. The tickets are
thus released from the said fingers and immediately attach themselves
to the ends of the winding spindles. The shaft j is now permitted to
rise, and as it rises the fingers turn over until the open end of each
finger rests upon the uppermost ticket in the corresponding ticket
holder. The lever c¹ by a return movement now effects the closing of
the valve and the opening of the valve g¹ whereby fresh tickets are.
taken up by the said fingers.
"
The action of the parts as described and represented may be varied,
the important feature being the employment of the fingers i acting by
means of "
suction to transfer tickets from the holders to the winding
spindles. A bevil quadrant h¹ fixed on the tappit shaft imparts an
intermittent motion to a shaft in the same manner as in the case of
the two shafts which actuated the nippers in my former Invention.
On the said shaft is fixed a second bevil quadrant 1, which gears at
intervals with a bevil pinion fixed on the shaft k¹. The ends of cords.
or chains are attached to the said shaft, and passing over pulleys are
attached by their other ends to the bar m¹ which carries the doffing
cups n¹. On the shaft ¹ being rotated by the action of the quadrant g¹
the said cords are to some extent wound upon the said shaft and the
bar m² and the doffing cuns are thereby raised.

page_text: I will in this place refer to Fig. 10 in Sheet 2, which represents the
parts in connection with the winding spindles drawn to a larger scale.
In the said Figure a grooved cam o¹ imparts the requisite movements
to the shaft p³, on which are fixed the arms which carry the barbed
necdles q', which act in a similar manner as in my former Invention,
and are shewn about the full size in Fig. 16. In Fig. 10 the parts are
in the positions they would be in when the formation of the ball has
been completed, with the exception of the " fastening off" of the yarn.
The needle q¹ has been moved until it rests against the ball. The flyers
are now set in motion so as to add a few coils to the ball, the said coils
enclosing the end of the said needle, as represented at Fig. 11. The
cam o¹ now moves the needle forward and the last turn of the yarn
passes between the spring and the needle and enters the recess in the
said needle, as shown at Fig. 12.
The needle is now moved back
yarn, and the quadrant j¹ having
drawing with it the last turn of the
now engaged with the bevil pinion fixed on the shaft ¹ the said shaft
will have been partly rotated so as to cause the doffing cup to slide
upwards, as shewn at Fig. 13. A "spring clip" fixed on the doffing
cup and shewn detached at Fig. 17 has now seized the yarn, and the
further upward movement of the said cup brings a knife s¹-fixed on the
said cup into contact with the yarn held by the needle, as represented at
Fig. 14, and the said knife severs the said yarn, the said cup doffing the
ball as in my former Invention. Fig. 15 represents the spring clip as
when holding the end of the yarn during the commencement of the
formation of a fresh ball.
The flyers and spindles are actuated in manner as follows, referring
now to Sheet 1:-On the driving shaft t is mounted a strap pulley t",
by means of which all the moving parts (with the exception of the fan)
are actuated. The said pulley is fitted to slide on the said shaft and is
formed with a clutch which engages with a corresponding clutch on the
spur wheel u³, so that when the said pulley is slid on the shaft by a
movement of the lever ¹ the motion of the said wheel is arrested.
The said wheel gears with a pinion fixed on the shaft w³, and motion
is communicated therefrom by means of the straps and pulleys x¹, x¹,
to the spur wheel y', which is mounted on a stud which coincides with
the centre of oscillation of the flyer frame. The said spur wheel gears
with a wheel ¹ which is fixed on the shaft a², and on the said shaft are
fixed bevil wheels which gear with pinions on the ends of the flyers,
the said flyers being thus caused to revolve. On the tappet shaft / is

page_text: fixed a cam 62, shewn detached at Fig. 9, which cam acts upon the
lever c³which is connected by a link with the lever v¹. At the times
when the tickets are being applied to the spindles and when the winding
is completed the cam b' acts upon the lever c³ and thereby causes the
strap pulley to be disengaged from the spur wheel u', the flyers then
ceasing to revolve. The said cam now imparts a further movement in
the same direction to the lever c², and thereby moves a projection on
the said lever into the path of revolution of stops or projections in the
wheel z¹, there being in this example three stops for the reason that one
revolution of the shaft a³ causes the flyers to make three revolutions.
A cam & fixed on the tappet shaft and shewn by dotted lines in Fig. 5
now acts on the lever e³, which is connected by a link to the pawl f
which is mounted on an arm which is free to oscillate on the shaft w¹.
When one of the projections marked 1 and 2 on the cam d³ acts on the
lever e² the said pawl is caused to engage with the ratchet wheel, and
the said ratchet wheel and the shaft w¹ are rotated slightly, thereby
causing the wheel 2¹ to rotate until one of the stops thereon bears
against the projection on the lever c³, when the flyers will all be resting
in the required position. The larger projection marked 3 acts on the
levere sufficiently to cause the flyers to make the herein-before
mentioned turns of yarn around the ball and the barbed needle
previously to the doffing of the said ball.
The spindles are actuated in manner as follows :— -On the shaft w¹ is
fixed a spur wheel which is connected by a train of spur wheels g² which
may be changed as required with a spur wheel which is fixed on one
end of a shaft, the wheel being fixed on the other end thereof. The
wheel gives motion through the wheel j² to the spur wheels k³ and 1,
which differ in size and which gear with the spur wheels m² which are
loosely mounted on the shaft n³ which drives the winding spindles.
A sliding clutch o³ is caused to engage with the one or the other of the
said spur wheels by the action of a grooved cam p³ which is fixed to
the tappet shaft and which acts on a forked lever q³ so as to change the
speed of the spindles as in my former Invention. The said lever is
formed so as to have a little " spring" which ensures the changing
of the speeds being quickly effected. The parts for regulating the
oscillation of the flyer frame for the forming of the ball do not differ
materially from the corresponding parts in my former Invention. In
the example illustrated the fan is driven by a separate strap acting on
the pulley
•

page_text: Having now described and illustrated the nature of my Invention,
I would in conclusion have it to be distinctly understood that I claim as
novel,―
First. The method of applying the tickets substantially as herein set
forth and as illustrated by the accompanying Drawings.
•
Secondly. The employment of parts acting substantially as and for
the purposes set forth when referring to Sheet 2 of the accompanying
Drawings.
Thirdly. The method of actuating the flyers and the arrangements for
governing the action and regulating the position of rest of the said
flyers, substantially as described and illustrated.
Fourthly. The several arrangements for giving motion to the doffing
cups, and for actuating the tappet shaft, and for imparting a differential
motion to the spindles, substantially as described and illustrated.
And, lastly. The combination and arrangement of parts forming a
self-acting "balling machine," substantially as herein-before described
and as illustrated in and by the accompanying Drawings.
In witness whereof, I, the said Robert Dunseith McKellen, have
hereunto set my hand and seal, this Eighth day of December, in
the year of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and seventy-
one.
ROBERT DUNSEITH MCKELLEN. (L.S.)
Signed and sealed by the said
Robert Dunseith McKellen,
in the presence of
EDWARD K. DUTTON,
Agent for the Patentee,
3, Smithy Door,
Manchester.