IMPROVEMENTS IN MULES FOR SPINNING
Year: 1879

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Hugh Mason, of Ashton-under-Lyne, in the County of
Lancaster, for the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN MULES FOR SPINNING."
Sealed the 4th October 1879, and dated the 25th July 1879.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Hugh Mason at the Office
of the Commissioners of Patents on the 25th July 1879.
HUGH MASON, of Ashton-under-Lyne, in the County of Lancaster.
MENTS IN MULES FOR SPINNING."
IMPROVE-
This Invention relates to improvements in the construction of self-acting mules
for spinning cotton or other fibrous substances, and is designed to enable the mule
to spin a given quantity of yarn in a shorter time than hitherto, and at the same
time to obtain a variable speed in "backing off" so as to allow of various counts
of yarn being spun in the same mule.
This is effected by a simple arrangement of mechanism which I attach to the
headstock of the inule, and consists principally in the use of an additional driving
pulley and change pinions acting upon the "backing off" spur wheel.
Conveniently situated on the framing of the mule headstock (say between the
fast and loose driving pulleys and the rim wheel) I fix a bracket having an
adjustable bearing connected thereto. This bearing carries a grooved pulley, which
is driven by a band or rope from the counter shaft above. On the same shaft as
this grooved pulley is keyed a pinion which gears into and drives the backing off
spur wheel, which, in its turn, acts upon the leather friction cone pulley, thereby
causing the "backing off" lever through its train of action to depress the "faller
wire "in "backing off."
Thus it will be seen that when the carriage has run out to its full stretch and is
about "backing off" it stops for a second, then the faller wires depress the yarn
down quickly on the cop (through the "backing off" spur wheel being caused to
revolve quicker) instead of slowly as hitherto, which allows the carriage to run in
again sooner than usual, thereby saving time and causing the mule to spin more
yarn in a given time.
The adjustable bearing above alluded to is also a distinctive feature of the
Invention, and is designed to enable the same driving bands to be used for the

page_text: various sizes of change pinions without having to employ fresh ones for every size;
this is effected by causing the bearing block which carries the pulley to slide in an
inclined slotted bracket, which can be adjusted by a screw to any suitable distance
required.
Another part of my Invention consists in actuating the cam shaft by a worm,
which is keyed onto the upright scroll shaft, and which gears into a spur pinion on
the end of the said cam shaft instead of its being driven by spur gearing direct
from the "backing off "spur wheel as hitherto, thereby causing the cam shaft to
have a regular motion given to it, and allowing the "backing off" spur wheel
to have a variable motion given to it according to the counts of yarn being 1
spun.
When coarse yarn is being spun a larger pinion would be required so as to give
greater speed to the backing off wheel than when the finer counts are being spun,
which would require a smaller pinion, and thereby a little slower backing off.

page_text: SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent filed by
the said Hugh Mason in the Great Seal Patent Office on the 24th January
1880.
HUGH MASON, of Ashton-under-Lyne, in the County of Lancaster. "IMPROVE-
MENTS IN MULES FOR SPINNING."
This Invention relates to improvements in the construction of self-acting mules for
spinning cotton or other fibrous substances, and is designed to enable the mule to
spin a given quantity of yarn in a shorter time than hitherto without in the slightest
degree injuring the quality thereof by obtaining a variable and easily adjustable
speed in "backing off" so as to allow of quicker "backing off" for coarse "counts
than is suitable for medium and fine "counts" of yarn.
"
This is effected by a simple arrangement of mechanism which I attach to the
headstock of the mule, and consists principally in the use of an additional driving
pulley and change pinion acting upon the "backing off" spur wheel.
Such being the nature and object of my said Invention, I will now proceed to
describe in detail the manner in which the same is to be or may be performed or
carried into practical effect, and in order that the same may be clearly understood
I have annexed hereunto a Sheet of Drawings illustrative thereof, and have marked
the same with figures and letters of reference corresponding with those in the
following explanation thereof.
Fig. 1 is a back view (seen partly in section) of part of the headstock and
"backing off motion" of a mule, Fig. 2 a side view, and Fig. 3 a plan view of the
same.
a, a, is part of the framing of the mule headstock, on which (between the fast
and loose driving pulleys b, b, and the rim pulley c, c,) I fix a bracket d, d, having
an adjustable bearing e, e, connected thereto (see also detached view, Fig. 4).
The bracket d, d, and adjustable bearing e, e, above alluded to form an important
and distinctive feature of my Invention, and are designed to allow of a variation
in the speed of "backing off" by changing the size of the spur pinion h, h, (herein-
after referred to), and also to enable the same driving bands to be used for the
various sizes of change pinions instead of having to employ fresh bands for every
size.
This is effected by causing the adjustable bearing e, e, to slide in the slot of the
bracket d, d, its position being adjusted to any required distance by means of a
set screw.
This bearing carries a grooved pulley f, f, which is driven by a band or rope
from a similar pulley on the counter shaft above. On the same shaft g, g, which
carries this grooved pulley f, f, is keyed a spur pinion h, h, which gears into and
drives the "backing off" spur wheel i, i, which, in its turn, acts upon the leather
friction coue k, k, when the latter is moved into contact therewith, thus reversing
the motion of the rim pulley c, c, and causing the "backing off" lever through its
train of action to depress the faller wire in "backing off."
Thus it will be seen that when the carriage has run out to its full stretch, and is
about "backing off" when the strap has passed onto the loose pulley it stops for a
second, and then the faller wires depress the yarn quickly onto the cop whilst the
"backing off" spur wheel i, i, being caused to revolve in the reverse direction
quickly (instead of slowly as hitherto) by the action of the spur wheel i, i, which
is always revolving, the operation of "backing off" is accelerated, and thus the
carriage is allowed to run again sooner than usual, thereby saving time and enabling
the mule to spin a greater amount of yarn in a given time.
Another part of my Invention (which is seen in back view at Fig. 5) consists in
actuating the cam shaft m, m, by a worm n, n, which is keyed on the shaft o
(which drives the scroll shaft), and which gears into a worm pinion p, p, on the

page_text: end of the said cam shaft m, m, instead of its being driven by spur gearing direct
from the "backing off" spur wheel i, i, as hitherto, thereby causing the cam
shaft m, m, to have a regular motion given to it, and allowing the "backing off"
spur wheel i, i, to have a variable motion given to it according to the "counts" of
yarn being spun.
When coarse yarn is being spun a larger spur pinion would be required so as to
give a greater speed to the "backing off" wheel than when the finer "counts" are
being spun, which would require a little slower "backing off," and hence a smaller
pinion.
Having now described the nature and object of my said Invention, together with
the manner in which the same is to be or may be performed or carried into practical
effect, I wish it to be understood that I claim as my Invention,-
First. The mechanical arrangement (shown and described with reference to
Figs. 1, 2, 3, and 4 on the Drawings annexed), whereby I am enabled to drive the
"backing off" spur wheel independently of the loose driving pulley, and to vary
the speed of "backing off" at will by the use of change pinions; and,
Secondly. I claim the arrangement of mechanism (shown and described with
reference to Fig. 5 on the Drawing) for driving the cam shaft direct from the
shaft which drives the scroll shaft, and independently of the "backing off" spur
wheel whereby I am enabled to vary the speed of the "backing off" without
effecting that of the cam-shaft.
In witness whereof, I, the said Hugh Mason, have hereunto set my hand
and seal, this Twenty second day of January, in the year of our Lord One
thousand eight hundred and eighty.
HUGH MASON. (L.S.)