IMPROVEMENTS IN CERTAIN MACHINES POR SPINNING AND DOUBLING COTTON AND OTHER FIBROUS SUBSTANCES
Year: 1852

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to William Robertson, of Barrhead, in the
County of Renfrew, Scotland, Machine Maker, for the Invention
of "IMPROVEMENTS IN CERTAIN MACHINES POR SPINNING AND DOUBLING
COTTON AND OTHER FIBROUS SUBSTANCES."
Sealed the 9th February 1853, and dated the 18th December 1852.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said William Robertson
at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition,
on the 18th December 1852.
I, WILLIAM ROBERTSON, of Barrhead, in the County of Renfrew,
Scotland, Machine Maker, do hereby declare the nature of my
Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN CERTAIN MACHINES FOR SPINNING AND
DOUBLING COTTON AND OTHER FIBROUS SUBSTANCES" to be as follows:
My said improvements consist, first, in passing an endless band,
of suitable material, over a series of pullies, in connection with the
headstock and carriage, in such manner that the motion given to the
band (whether the carriage is going out or in) may be communicated
to the carriage and spindles, together or separately, and admit of
such motion being governed in any desirable ratio.

page_text: Second, in the application of a ratchet wheel, and catch or
catches, as a mode of connecting the Mendoza wheel and pulley
together.
Third, in an arrangement whereby the catch or catches, and
chain employed in winding on, are used to put the faller down.
Fourth, in attaching a lever on a stud to an arm fastened on
the under faller, which lever is drawn back by a spring past the
perpendicular, until its point rests in a notch on the rod which
pushes down the upper faller, in pressing forward which rod the
stripper wire will be forced up without a spring.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters
Patent, filed by the said William Robertson in the Great Seal
Patent Office on the 18th June 1853.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I,
WILLIAM ROBERTSON, of Barrhead, in the County of Renfrew, Scot-
land, Machine Maker, send greeting.
,
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, did, by
Her Letters Patent under the Great Seal of the United Kingdom
Great Britain and Ireland, bearing date the Eighteenth day of
December, One thousand eight hundred and fifty-two, in the
sixteenth year of Her reign, give and grant unto me, my executors,
administrators, and assigns, Her special license, full power, sole
privilege, and authority, that I, the said William Robertson, my exe-
cutors, administrators, and assigns, should and lawfully might, during
the term of fourteen years therein mentioned, make, use, exercise,
and vend, within Her said Majesty's United Kingdom of Great Britain
and Ireland, the Channel Islands, and Isle of Man, my Invention of
"IMPROVEMENTS IN CERTAIN MACHINES FOR SPINNING AND DOUBLING COTTON
AND OTHER FIBROUS SUBSTANCES," in which said Letters Patent is
contained a proviso that if I, the said William Robertson, should not
particularly describe and ascertain the nature of the said Invention,
and in what manner the same is to be performed, by an instrument

page_text: in writing under my hand and seal, and cause the same to be filed
in the Great Seal Patent Office within six calendar months next after
the date of the said Letters Patent, then the said Letters Patent, and
all liberties and advantages whatsoever thereby granted, should
utterly cease, determine, and become void, as in and by the same,
relation being thereunto had, will more fully and at large appear.
NOW KNOW YE, that, in compliance with the said proviso, I, the
said William Robertson, do hereby declare that the nature of my
said Invention, and the manner in which the same is to be performed,
are particularly described and ascertained in and by the following
statement and description, reference being had to the Drawings on
two sheets hereunto annexed:
My improvements are applicable to the machines for spinning
and doubling cotton and other fibrous substances, of the class in
which the spindles approach to and recede from the drawing rollers,
and which machines are commonly known by the names of the mule,
stretcher, turner, and doubler. I shall describe my improvements, in
reference to the mule, as any mechanic conversant with such
machinery will be able to adapt them to the other machines of the
class adverted to. The mule herein described is one arranged for
spinning wool. My improvements are, however, severally applicable
to any of the mules generally known as self-acting mules; and the
improvements which are herein-after firstly and secondly described
are also applicable to hand mules. The construction, parts, and
operation of the spinning mule being familiar to persons conversant
with spinning machinery, I shall not herein describe or refer to the
same, except so far as may be necessary for the explanation of my

page_text: such parts of a mule as are requisite to shew my improvements; and
Figures 5, and 6, represent detached portions thereof.
My Invention may be divided into four parts; and I will
now proceed to describe the first, second, and third parts thereof.
The framing of the head-stock is marked A, the carriage end B.
The position in which the mule is represented is cominencing the
outward stretch. Bolted on the framing is the pillar 1, in a
slot of which is the stud 2, on which the strap guide 3, vi-
brates. The pulley 5, is fast, and the pulley 4, is loose on the
shaft 6. The strap C, is shewn to be partially on each of these
pullies. The strap guide 3, is retained in its position by the cain
7, fast on the shaft 8. This shaft extends lengthwise on the
headstock, and is retained in its position by means of the catch
9, fitted on a stud 10, in the pillar 11. The endless band a, is
in various portions marked a, b, c, d, e, f, g, h, i, and j, to explain
the direction in which it passes on the various pullies I am about
to describe; but which, when hereafter referred to, I do, as the
band a. The part a, of this band passes from the step cone pulley
12, fast on the shaft 6, to the pulley 13, fast on the shaft 14, which
returns the part b, to the large double grooved pulley 15, fast on
the tin roller shaft 16. This pulley returns the part c, to the
carrier pulley 17, set on the stud 18, which returns the part d, to
the double grooved small pulley 19, loose on the tin roller shaft,
which returns the part e, to the pulley 20, fast on the shaft 21. This
pulley 20 returns the part f, to the pulley 22, fast on the shaft 23;
which returns the back part g, to the second groove in the small
pulley 19, loose on the tin roller shaft; which returns the back parth,
to the pulley 24, loose on the stud 25; which returns the back part i,
round the second groove in the large double grooved pulley 15, fast on
the tin roller shaft; which returns the back partj, meeting the part a,
on the step cone pulley 12. On the shaft 6, is fastened the bevil 26,
which geers with the bevil 27, fastened on the shaft 28, on which is
the catch box k, l. The part K, is fitted with a sliding key, and has in
it a ring groove, into which the ends of the fork lever 29, pass, which
holds it in geer by means of the stud 30, passing through a slot in

page_text: the framing, and pressed in by the end of the lever 31, fitted on
the stud 32. On the boss of the female part K, of the catch box, is
fastened the bevil 33, which geers with the bevil 34, on the stud
35, having the pinion 36, fastened on its boss, which geers with the
wheel 37, fast on the front roller 38. The shaft 28, has also on it
the worm 39, geered with the Mendoza worm wheel 40, which may
either be fast on the shaft 41, as in Figure 1, or loose, as in Figure
5. In Figure 1, the shaft 28, is kept in geer by incans of the lever
42, on the stud 43, in the headstock frame. This lever, at one end,
rests on the bar 44, which slides on the studs 45, 43, 46, fastened
in the headstock frame. This bar 44, has an inclined plane on it
the depth of the thread of the worm 39, on the shaft 28, at the
point where the lever sustaining the shaft in geer rests on it. In
Figure 5, the catches in the wheel 40, are held against the teeth of
the ratchet 47, by the action of the band a, herein-after described.
On the shaft 41, is also fastened the scroll, or barrel, 48, which is
connected to the carriage by the Mendoza band 49.
The pinion
50, on the shaft 41, geers with the wheel 51, on the stud 53, in the
frame. Their pitch lines are shewn in red in Figure 1. In the
wheel 51 is fixed the stud 52, which supports the one end of the
rod 54, sliding at the other on the stud 55, in the top end of the
lever 31. When the mule is set in motion by the strap C, the
band a, receiving motion from the step cone pulley 12, communicates
motion to the spindles through the pulley 15, fast on the tin roller
shaft, and endeavours to force the carriage outward also; and by
so doing the catches in the wheel 40, are forced against the teeth
of the ratchet 47, and thus a connection is formed between the
Mendoza wheel and pulley. The advantage of this mode of
connection is, that it allows the carriage to return inwards without
the use of any disconnecting apparatus, the catches slipping over
the teeth of the ratchet. The outward motion of the carriage, in
the mule herein described, is regulated by the Mendoza wheel 40,
and scroll 48. As the carriage proceeds outwards, and when
sufficient roving has been delivered, the stud 52, in the wheel 51,
draws the sliding rod 54, so as to relieve the stud 30, from the

page_text: pressure of the lever 31, and stops the rollers by disconnecting the
two parts of the catch box k, l. In using the arrangement repre-
sented in Figure 5, the carriage stops when the roller 38, does, the
catches in the Mendoza wheel 40, not allowing the carriage to move
after the roller 38, has stopped. As the carriage completes its
outward stretch the fuller shaft 56, comes in contact with the
projection 57, from the sliding bar 44, and draws it with it, and
allows the lever 42, and with it the shaft 28, to drop, disconnecting
the worin 39, from the Mendoza wheel 40; thus stopping the
carriage. The worm 58, is fast on the shaft 21, and geers with the
worin wheel 59, fast on the shaft 60, and the wyper 61, presses the
catch 62, on the bottom of the ratchet 63, and turns it until the
catch 9, drops into its last notch, and holds it, and with the ratchet
the shaft 8, aud cam 7, are moved, and the strap C, is led on the
pulley 64, on whose boss is the wheel 66, which geers with the
wheel 67, on the shaft 68; on the other end of which shaft is
fastened the wheel 69, geered with the wheel 65, fast on the shaft 6,
by which train the speed of the spindles is increased during the
time the extra twist is put in at the out end of the stretch. In
woollen, the cam 70, is also fast on the shaft 60, by which the
carriage is pressed in, and the yarn relieved from the extra drag
on it produced by the twist. When the twist has been completed,
the wyper 71, raises the catch 9, and allows the shaft 8, to be
shifted back till the strap C, is led on the loose pulley 4, when the
pulley 72, which is fust on its boss, will, by means of the cross strap
73, communicate motion to the pulley 74, whose interior is conical,
and fitted to receive the conical part of the pulley 75. These are
brought into contact by the lever 76, on the shaft 8, the rod 77, on
which presses the pin 78, against the trigger catch 79, on the lever 80,
joined to the fork lever 81, on the stud 82, in the framing.
By the
pullies 74, and 75, being brought into contact, motion is communi-
cated through the shaft 23, and pulley 22, to the band a, in a contrary
direction to that it previously had, and causes the spindles to turn
backwards, and also the shaft 14, on which is fastened the plate and
catches 83. These catches take into the ratchet 84, on the wheel

page_text: 98.
When the rising rack has
85, on which is wound the chain 86, fastened at the other end to
the carriage end. This chain passes over the pulley 87, and the
lever 88, and over the pulley 89, on the nut 90, fitted in the radial
arm slide 91, and set by the screw 92. When this chain is drawn
back, by the reversing of the band a, it raises the end of the lever
SS, by the pulley 87, and the projecting stud 93, on the lever, comes
in contact with the projection 94, on the rising rack 95, geered into
the pinion 96, on the faller shaft 97, and presses down the faller
The projecting stud 93, is not seen, but its position is
indicated by dotted lines in Figure 1.
been raised so high that the stud 99, is level with the flat on the
builder part 100, it drops in upon it, and the stud 101, in the lever
102, Figure 2, which vibrates on the stud 103, in the carriage end,
is pressed in also, and the upper part of the lever 102, comes in
contact with the wyper 104, on the shaft 105, in the bracket
106, on the framing having the wyper 107, fast on its other end,
and which is drawn from under the teeth of the ratchet 63. The
rod 77, by the pin 108, on the lever 109, shifts the open strap guide
1.10, and traverses the strap 111, on to the pulley 75, fast on the
shaft 28, which will then receive motion from the pulley 112, fast
on the boss of the loose pulley 4, and at the same time the pin 78,
passes the trigger catch 79, and stops the backing off and the
inward motion of the carriage, and the winding on of the yarn com-
mences. This is accomplished through the band a, which now receives
motion from the pulley 22, at the part g, in the direction of the arrow,
and ultimately transmits it to the pulley 15, fast on the tin roller
shaft, where it receives a check, owing to a greater amount of power
being required to turn the spindles than to take in the carriage.
The motion of the pulley 15, being thus partially restrained, the
motion of the band a, over it is also restrained, which restraint
causes the band, which continues to receive motion from the pulley
22, to act on the pulley 19, as on the sheaf of a block, and draw the
carriage inward; and as the carriage proceeds inward, the chain 86,
being drawn off the barrel 85, causes it and the pulley 13, to rotate,
and the band a, receiving motion from the pulley 13, acts on the

page_text: pulley 15, and aids in turning the spindles. As the carriage com-
pletes its inward run, the rod 117, passing across the carriage end,
comes in contact with the stopper 118, and strikes out the foot
of the rack 95, and allows the fallers to rise. A projecting pin on
the carriage also strikes in the lever 31, against the stud 30, in the
fork lever 29, and brings the catch box k, l, in contact to turn the
rollers. The faller shaft comes in contact with the projection 119,
and draws with it the bar 44, and raises the end of the lever 42,
and with it the worm 39, into geer with the worm wheel 40. To
reverse the motion of the carriage and the inclined plane 120, on
the carriage end, Figure 4, comes into contact with the projection
129, on the rod 77, and raises it until the strap C, is again replaced.
on the pulley 5, to turn the spindles. From what has been
previously described, it will be seen that the endless band a, is so
arranged that it may be used as a common band for communicating
motion through the tin roller to the spindles, from one pulley to
another or as a continuous block and tackle movement, in which
the part farthest from the pulley by which motion is communicated
may be at rest, and then the tin roller shaft and the fixings by
which it is attached to the carriage will cause the carriage to move
in the direction of the motion of the band; or it may be used for
both of these purposes at once. The band may, by its contact with
the pullies on the tin roller shaft, turn them in its own direction,
and they may oppose such resistance to this part of its action, as to
force the band to give the tin roller shaft a rectilinear as well as a
rotatory motion. The one is balanced against the other; that which
is lightest receiving the largest amount of motion, and the remainder
being absorbed by the other.
I will now proceed to describe the fourth part of my said im-
provements, which are shewn in Figure 6. On the fuller shaft 56,
is the lever n, in which is a slot in which the stud o, is fixed, on
which stud the weighted lever p, vibrates, in the lower end of
which is the stud s. The lever r, rests on the builder, being the
lower limb of the broken joint used in mules arranged for strip-
ping for working the fallers. The notched rod t, is attached to

page_text: one side of the upper part of this lever, by the stud u; the other
end of the notched rod t, is attached to the top end of the lever v,
by the study. This lever is attached to the. carriage end by the
stud x.
This lever v, in the common arrangement of stripping
mules, may be dispensed with, by attaching the end of the rod t, by
the stud Y, to the bar by which the fallers are commonly worked.
This bar, when the carriage completes its outward stretch, comes in
contact with the lower limb of the broken joint of the stripping
motion, and, forcing it forward, works the fallers; the same motion
will be continued in the present arrangement; the notched part of
the plate t, will act on the stud s, and force it forward, thereby
raising the levers p, and n, until the centres o, and s, are perpen-
dicular, by which means the under faller wire will have been raised
and the spindles stripped. As the cop is filled, the lever r, drops
with the builder, and the bottom of the notch, in the plate t, comes
later in contact with the stud s, and thereby shortens the rise of the
under faller and the stripper wire. It will thus be seen that the
spring usually employed for raising the stripper wire is dispensed
with, and in place thereof a determined amount of rise is given to
it, which rise is diminished by the descent of the builder as the cop
fills. This variation may also be regulated by moving the notch of
the lever t, nearer to or farther from the lever r, by which means
the drop for the whole set may be increased or diminished as may
be required.
Having now described the nature of my said Invention, and the
manner in which the same is to be performed, I declare that I claim,
as of my Invention,
First, the arrangement, application, and use of an endless band
of suitable material passed over a series of pullies in connection
with the headstock and carriage of the mule, in such manner that
the motion given to the band (whether the carriage is going out
or in) may be communicated to the carriage and spindles, together
or separately, and adinit of such motion being governed in any
desirable ratio.
Second, the application and use of a ratchet wheel and catch

page_text: or catches as a mode of connecting the Mendoza wheel and pulley
together..
Third, the arrangement whereby the catch or catches and chain
employed in winding on are used to put the faller down.
Fourth, the contrivance and means herein-before described for
causing and determining the rise of the stripper wire without the
intervention of a spring.
In witness whereof, I, the said William Robertson, have hereto
set my hand and seal, this Seventeenth day of June, in the
year of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and fifty-three.
WILLIAM ROBERTSON. (L.s.)