Improvements in Self-acting Mules.
Year: 1889

page_text: Date of Application, 4th Nov., 1889
Complete Specification Left, 15th Feb., 1890-Accepted 15th Mar., 1890
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Self-acting Mules.
I, ROBERT CLEGG, of Soho Iron Works, Oldham in the County of Lancaster
Foreman of Mule Room, do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as
follows:-
My invention relatos to improvements. in self acting mules and my improvements
consist first in dispensing with the ordinary toothed catch box now employed for
transmitting motion to the front spindle shaft from the bevel wheel, keyed on the
long boss, and driven from the rim shaft.
According to this part of my invention 1 substitute for the toothed catch box a
friction clutch which is far more certain in action than the toothed catch box the
latter being very unreliable at the high speeds now common in driving mules.
A convenient construction of friction clutch consists in casting a conical annular
piece to the back of the bevel wheel keyed on the loose boss; the other or sliding
half of the clutch is fitted on the front spindle shaft and is provided with two
projecting studs which when the sliding part of the clutch is moved into gear enter
holes made to receive them in a disc or collar keyed on the front spindle shaft by
which means the shaft is caused to revolve. It is obvious that the method of trans-
mitting motion from the sliding clutch to the shaft may be varied as for instance
the sliding half of the clutch could be fitted on a feather key in the shaft and thus
the fast disc could be dispensed with.
The ordinary front spindle lever actuated by the usual cam on the cam shaft
governs the movement of the sliding clutch and consequently the time of starting
of the front spindle shaft and the bottom drawing rollers which are driven
from it.
The second part of my invention consists in providing improved means for
automatically retarding the front spindle shaft so as to render the time of starting
later and later every draw in order to prevent snarls in the yarn.
In carrying this part of my invention into effect I propose to extend the ordinary
front spindle clutch lever below the cam shaft and I pivot on the carriage square a
quadrant or equivalent in such position that when the carriage is close up to, the
rollers the quadrant comes beneath and supports the extended portion of the front
spindle clutch lever before the cam moves or changes for the outward run of the
carriage. That is to say when the carriage starts on its outward run the front spindle
clutch lever resting upon the quadrant for a moment holds the sliding part of the
friction clutch out of gear thereby stopping the front spindle shaft and drawing rollers
and preventing snarls but as soon as the carriage has travelled a short distance the
quadrant moving from under the front spindle clutch lever allows the usual spring to
throw the clutch into gear and so starts the drawing rollers.
1 regulate this motion automatically by fixing one end of a chain or equivalent to
the lower portion of the quadrant lever and the other end to the usual slide block or
weight of the copping motion; this block which falls slightly at every draw of the
carriage moves the chain and quadrant and causes the upper portion of the latter to
gradually move further and further under the front spindle lever thereby gradually
retarding the movement of the clutch and making the starting of the drawing rollers
later and later every draw.
I propose to make tlie quadrant in two parts for convenience of adjustment without
interfering with the attachments to the slide block of the copping motion.
Dated this 2nd day of November 1889.
H. B. BARLOW,
Agent for Applicant.

page_text: COMPLETE
SPECIFICATION.
* Improvements in Self-acting Mules.
I, ROBERT CLEGG,. of Soho Iron Works, Oldham, in the County of Lancaster,
Foreman of Mule Room, do hereby declare the nature of this said invention and in
what mannor the same is to be performed to be particularly described and ascertained
in and by the following statement :-
My invention relates to improvements in self acting mules and my improvements
consist first in dispensing with the ordinary toothed catch box now.employed for
transmitting motion to the front spindle shaft from the bevel.wheel keyed on the long.
boss, and driven from the rim shaft.
According to this part of my invention I substitute for the toothed catch box a
friction clutch which is far more certain in action than the toothed catch box the latter
being very unreliable at the high speeds now common in driving mules.
The second part of my invention consists in providing improved means for auto-
matically retarding the front spindle shaft so as to render the time of starting later
and later every draw in order to prevent snarls in the yarn.
And in order that my invention may be fully understood and readily carried into
effect I will describe the accompanying two Sheets of Drawings reference being had
to the figures and letters marked thereon.
Figure 1 is a view of part of a self acting mule illustrating the application of both
parts of my invention Fig. 2 is another elevation and Fig. 3 a plan of those parts shown
in Fig. 1 which illustrate the second part of my invention.
Similar letters refer to similar parts throughout the several views.
Referring first to Figure 1 in which is shown a convenient construction of friction
clutch for the purposes of my invention, a designates the front spindle shaft, 6 the long
boss mounted loosely thereon, c the ordinary bevel wheel keyed on the long boss band
driven by a bevel pinion d mounted on a shaft driven from the rim shaft. One portion
of the friction clutch which I employ according to the first part of my invention
consists of a conical annular piece è cast to the back of the bevel wheel c, and faced
with leather or other suitable material. The other or sliding portion of the clutch
is fitted on the front spindle shaft a and is provided with two projecting studs f¹ which
when the sliding part of the clutch is moved into gear with the part e entor holes
made to receive them in a disc or collar g keyed on the front spindle shaft a by which
means the said shaft is caused to revolve.
It is obvious that the method of transmitting motion from the friction clutch to the
front spindle shaft a may be varied as for instance the sliding part of the clutch
could be fitted on a feather key in the shaft a and thus the fast disc g could be
dispensed with.
The movement of the sliding portion of the clutch is governed by the ordinary
front spindle lever h which is connected to the part f and is actuated as usual by the
cam on the cam shaft and consequently the front spindle lever controls the time
of starting of the front spindle shaft a and the bottom drawing rollers which are
driven froin said shaft.
In carrying the second part of my.invention into effect I propose to extend the
.ordinary front spindle clutch lever below the cam shaft ; and I pivot at 7 on the
carriage square a quadrant lever m' to which is secured adjustably a quadrant m.
This quadrant lever and quadrant or equivalent part is placed in such a position that
when the carriage is close up to the rollers the quadrant m comes beneath and
supports the extended end of the front spindle clutch lever before the cam i moves
or changes for the outward run of the carriage.
That is to say when the carriage starts on its outward run the front spindle clutch
lever resting upon the quadrant m for a moment holds the sliding part of the
friction cluteli out of gear thereby stopping the front spindle shaft a and drawing
rollers and preventing snarls; but as soon as the carriage has travelled a short
distance the quadrant m moving from under the front spindle clutch lever allows the

page_text: usual spring n to throw the sliding part of the clutch into gear and so starts the
drawing rollers.
I regulate this motion automatically by fixing one end of a chain o or equivalent to
the lower portion of the quadrant lever m' and the other end to the usual slideblock p
or weight of the copping motion, the chain o being passed over guide pulleys g. The
slideblock which falls slightly at every draw of the carriage moves the chain o and
quadrant lever m² and so causes the quadrant m to move gradually further and further
under the front spindle clutch lever thereby gradually retarding the movement of
the sliding part of the friction clutch and making the starting of the drawing rollers
later and later every draw.
I prefer to make the quadrant in two parts m m' as shown and described for
convenience of adjustment without interfering with the attachments to the slideblock p
of the copping motion.
Instead of the chain o any suitable connection may be employed for transmitting
motion and so automatically regulating the position of the quadrant m or its equivalent
from the slideblock of the copping motion.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said inven-
tion and in what manner the same is to be performed I declare that what I
claim is :-
―:
1. Dispensing with the ordinary toothed catch box usually employed in the
mechanism for transmitting motion from the rim shaft to the front spindle shaft and
drawing rollers of a self acting mule and substituting for said toothed catch box a
friction clutch controlled by the front spindle clutch lever.
2. Providing improved means such as those herein described and shown for
automatically retarding the starting of the front spindle shaft of a self acting mule so
as to render the time of starting of the drawing rollers later and later every draw in
order to prevent snarls in the yarn.
3. In a self acting mule the combination with a friction clutch for transmitting
motion from the rim shaft to the front spindle shaft said clutch being controlled by the
front spindle clutch lever, of a quadrant or equivalent mounted on the carriage and
regulated automatically by connections from the sliding block of the copping motion
all substantially as and for the purposes herein described with reference to the
Drawings annexed.
Dated thin 14th day of al
1000
H. B. BARLOW,
17, St. Ann's Square, Manchester, Agent for Applicant.