Improvements in Self-acting Mules.
Year: 1896

page_text: Date of Application, 8th Oct., 1896-Accepted, 14th Nov., 1896
Improvements in Self-acting Mules.
We, CALEB WRIGHT AND COMPANY, LIMITED of Barnfield Mills, Tyldesley,
Lancashire Cotton Spinners, and JOHN HEYWOOD of Barnfield Mills, Tyldesley,
Lancashire, Mill Manager, do hereby declare the nature of this invention and
in what manner the same is to be performed, to be particularly described and
ascertained in and by the following statement:-
In ordinary mules of any considerable length it is found that, owing to the
middle of the carriage being considerably heavier than the ends, the carriage is
drawn forward in the centre at the beginning of the inward run before the ends
begin to move, thus causing the carriage to warp and preventing the spindles at the
middle of the carriage from taking up the full length of yarn. Also when the
check-scroll begins to act the reverse action takes place, the ends of the carriage
being drawn in before the middle and thus causing the threads at the middle to be
strained. Our improvement is designed to remedy these defects by causing the
carriage to start uniformly from end to end and to be drawn in perfectly evenly
throughout its entire length.
We will now proceed to describe our invention with reference to the accompanying
drawings in which:
Fig. 1 is a plan of our invention as applied to the carriage of a mule.
Fig. 2 is a sectional elevation on the line, 1, 1.
Fig. 3 is an elevation of our invention as applied to another form of mule and
Fig. 4 is a plan of the same.
Referring to Figs. 1 and 2: the bottom of the frame of the carriage, 2 has a
slot, 3 cast in it, in which a block, 4 is free to slide. This block, 4 is provided
with a pin, 5 on which the pulley, 6 rotates. The spindle, 7, which is threaded for
a portion of its length, works in the block, 4 and is free to slide longitudinally in
the frame, 2; the outer end of the spindle terminating in the nut, 8. A spiral
spring, 9 is inserted between the nut, 8 and the frame of the carriage. The
drawing up band, 10 passes round the pulley, 6 and is attached at its ends to
the two scrolls, 11, 11 on the scroll shaft, 12. The action is as follows: When the
outward run of the carriage is completed and just before it starts on its inward
run, the drawing up band, 10 pulls on the pulley, 6 and compresses the spring, 9.
At the beginning of the inward run the pressure due to the compression of the
spring assists the starting of the middle of the carriage and causes it to move
forward at the same time as the ends thus preventing any warping of the carriage.
When the check scroll begins to act and causes the drawing up band, 10 to become
slack, the compression of the spring, 9 is released and it takes up the slack and
encourages the carriage to get firmly in at the middle. The action of the spring
also reduces the wear and strain on the drawing up band, 10. The tension of the
band, 10 can be adjusted by turning the spindle, 7.
In Figs. 3 and 4, the action of the spring is the same as described above the
difference being in the mode of attachment of the drawing up band, 10. In this
case the drawing up band, 10 is attached at one end to a pin, 13 which is formed
with an eye through which the band is passed. This pin, 13 is carried by a
bracket, 14 which is fastened to the spindle, 7 and it can be rotated so as to
regulate the tension of the band. The pin, 13 carries a small ratchet wheel, 15 at
its outer end which can be locked in position by means of the pawl, 16. The
other end of the band, 10 is fastened to the scroll, 11 on the scroll shaft, 12. The
spindle, 7 in this case is carried by a bracket, 17 which is bolted to the frame of
the carriage.

page_text: Having now particularily described and ascertained the nature of our said inven-
tion and in what manner the same is to be performed, we declare that what we
-claim is :
1. In a self-acting mule the application of a spring to the drawing up band of
the carriage operating substantially as and for the purpose specified and applied in
the manner hereinbefore set forth.
2. In a self-acting mule the application of a spring to the drawing up band of
the carriage substantially as described and illustrated with reference to Figs. 1, 2, 3
and 4 of the drawings.
Dated this 7th dox of Ontaban 1806
E. J. ECKERSLEY,
Agent for the Applicants.