IMPROVE- MENTS IN TWISTING AND WINDING SILK, AND IN THE MACHINERY OR APPA- BATUS TO BE EMPLOYED THEREIN
Year: 1863

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to John Alexander Sparling, of Upper Hornsey Rise,
in the County of Middlesex, Gentleman, for the Invention of "IMPROVE-
MENTS IN TWISTING AND WINDING SILK, AND IN THE MACHINERY OR APPA-
BATUS TO BE EMPLOYED THEREIN."
Sealed the 17th December 1863, and dated the 18th June 1863.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said John Alexander Sparling
at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition,
on the 18th June 1863.
I, JOHN ALEXANDER SPARLING, of Upper Hornsey Rise, in the County
of Middlesex, Gentleman, do hereby declare the nature of the said Invention
for "IMPROVEMENTS IN TWISTING AND WINDING SILK, AND IN THE MACHINERY
OR APPARATUS TO BE EMPLOYED THEREIN," to be as follows:-
This Invention relates to a peculiar mode of twisting and winding silk, and
to a novel combination of apparatus to be employed therein, whereby greater
regularity and evenness in the thread produced is obtained. According to this
Invention it is proposed to place the bobbins from which the silk is to be
wound upon spindles carried by rotating discs, these discs being each carried
on a centre of its own fixed to a rotating arm, the several arms converging and
revolving round a common fixed centre of their own. Two or more of these
series of revolving arms or discs may be employed, and the number of
bobbins on each disc may be varied according to the number of strands to be
twisted together. On the top of the spindle which carries the arms there is

page_text: fixed a pulley or spur wheel which gives motion either by a band or by another
spur wheel to each of the discs on the ends of the arms, consequently the discs
revolve round their own centres as well as round the centre of revolution of
the arms. The threads or filaments from the several bobbins are carried up to
a guide eye, where they unite and pass down to a hook or guide eye on the leg
of a large flyer, which revolves round a winding reel of the usual construction,
revolving freely upon the spindle of the flyer, the relative speeds of the flyer
and reel being governed by spur gearing according to the greater or less
amount of twist to be put into the thread, the flyer and reel being each driven
by special gearing of their own; the same driving spindle or shaft, which com-
municates motion to the bobbin-carrying mechanism herein-before described,
also drives the train of gearing for actuating the flyer and reel, upon which
latter the twisted thread is wound.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent, filed
by the said John Alexander Sparling in the Great Seal Patent Office
on the 18th December 1863.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, JOHN
ALEXANDER SPARLING, of Upper Hornsey Rise, in the County of Middlesex,
Gentleman, send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her Letters
Patent, bearing date the Eighteenth day of June, in the year of our Lord One
thousand eight hundred and sixty-three, in the twenty-sixth year of Her reign,
did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give and grant unto me,.,the
said John Alexander Sparling, Her special license that I, the said John
Alexander Sparling, my executors, administrators, and assigns, or such others
as I, the said John Alexander Sparling, my executors, administrators, or
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
"IMPROVEMENTS IN TWISTING. AND WINDING SILK, AND IN THE MACHINERY; OR
APPARATUS TO BE EMPLOYED THEREIN," upon the condition (amongst others)
that I, the said John Alexander Sparling, my executors or administrators,
by an instrument in writing under my hand and seal, or under the hand
and seal of one of them, should particularly describe and ascertain the nature
of the said Invention, and in what manner the same was to be performed;

page_text: and 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 John Alexander Sparling, do hereby
declare the nature of my said Invention, and in what manner the same is to be
performed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and by the following
statement, reference being had to the accompanying Drawings and to the
letters and figures marked thereon, that is to say:-
My said Invention relates to a peculiar mode of twisting and winding silk,
and to a novel combination of apparatus to be employed therein, whereby
greater regularity and evenness in the thread produced is obtained. According
to this Invention it is proposed to place the bobbins from which the silk is to
be wound upon spindles carried by rotating discs revolving on fixed centres, or
these discs may revolve on centres of their own fixed to a rotating arm, the
Two or
several arms revolving round a common fixed centre of their own.
more of these series of revolving arms or discs may be employed, and the
number of bobbins on each disc may be varied according to the number of
strands to be twisted together. On the spindle which carries the arms there
is fixed a pully or spur wheel which gives motion, either by a band or by
another spur wheel, to each of the discs on the ends of the arms, corisequently
the discs revolve round their own centres as well as round the centre of revo-
lution of the arms. The threads or filaments from the several bobbins are
carried up to a guide eye, where they unite and pass down to a hook or guide
eye on the leg of a large flyer which revolves round a winding reel of the
usual construction, revolving freely upon the spindle of the flyer, the relative
speeds of the flyer and reel being governed by spur gearing according to the
greater or less amount of twist to be put into the
being each driven by special gearing of their own.
or shaft which communicates motion to the bobbin
before described also drives the train of gearing for actuating the flyer and reel
upon which latter the twisted thread is wound.
thread, the flyer and reel
The same driving spindle
carrying mechanism herein-
And in order that my said Invention may be fully understood, I shall now
proceed more particularly to describe the same, and for that purpose I shall
refer to the several Figures on the Sheet of Drawings hereunto annexed, the same
letters of reference indicating corresponding parts throughout all the Figures.
Figure 1 of the Drawings represents a complete side elevation of one
arrangement of my improved apparatus for twisting and winding silk.
Figure 2 is a corresponding plan of the same, and Figure 3 is an end view
thereof. A is a real of a suitable diameter for the skein of silk required; it is

page_text: made so as to revolve freely on a metal spindle B, carrying at one end the flyer
or bent arm C, herein-after described, and at the other end a centre point for
the purpose of its rotating in a suitable socket or footstep at D, formed to
receive it in the bottom of the frame E; the frame consists of two pieces of
flat wood or metal E, E', joined together at the corners by uprights or
pillars F, F, which leave a sufficient space between the two pieces E, E', to
contain the gearing. The frame should be so made that the top piece may be
unscrewed from the supports. G and H are two cog wheels of the same
diameter, but having an unequal number of teeth, and which number of teeth
I regulate by the number of twists to be given per inch to the silk to be manu-
factured; for instance, if I have a reel of 30 inches in diameter, and it is
required to give eight twists per inch, it is necessary that the reel should
revolve 240 times whilst the silk is wound once round the reel, and in that
case I should take one cog wheel G, with 15 or any multiple of 15 teeth, and
another wheel H, with 16 or a corresponding multiple of 16 teeth. One of
these cog wheels G is fixed to the spindle B, so that it cannot rotate without
causing the spindle to rotate with it. The other cog wheel H is fitted so as to
rotate freely on the spindle B, being coupled or otherwise connected with the
reel A, so that the reel and this last-mentioned cog wheel H can rotate together
on the spindle. I and K are two other cog wheels, both of the same diameter,
and with teeth capable of working in the teeth of the cog wheels G and H,
respectively, one of these wheels I, having fourteen teeth, or the multiple
thereof, gearing with the wheel G, whilst the wheel K, having fifteen teeth
or the multiple thereof, gears with the wheel H; the wheels I and K are
carried on the vertical spindle L; M is a pinion fast on the spindle L and
gearing into a large cog wheel N on the driving spindle O, which carries a
driving pulley P. Upon motion being given to the large cog wheel N on
the spindle O, the spindle B and the reel A will both rotate in the same
direction, but with slightly different velocities. Q, Q, are two or more
spindles working in bearings R, R', and carrying each a pinion S, S¹, con-
taining only half the number of teeth that there are in the pinion M,
herein-before referred to. These pinions S, S¹, and spindles Q, Q¹, are driven
by the larger wheel N, attached to the spindle O. Suitable collars are pro-
vided on the spindles Q, Q' either fixed or adjustable to keep them in their
bearings. The top of each of these spindles Q, Q, projects above the upper
surface of the frame, and is of a suitable form for carrying a disc T or T',
which will rotate with it, and each of which discs carries a frame or
spindle U, U, upon which is placed the bobbin V, V¹, containing the silk
or material to be twisted and wound. The arm or flyer attached to the

page_text: top of the spindle B is somewhat similar to those ordinarily used, but larger
and made capable of adjustment in length if desired by means of a telescopic
arrangement and set screw, so as to suit reels of different sizes, the arm
projecting a little beyond the circumference of the reel on which the silk
is to be wound. To the lower extremity of the flyer a small pulley Y is
attached, capable of turning easily on its axis, similar pullies Z and a being
also provided, the one situated in the centre of the flyer, and the other a at the
elbow or bend for the purpose of guiding the silk and reducing the friction.
The pulley Z near the centre of the flyer is so placed that the extreme circum-
ference of the groove may be as nearly as possible over the centre of the
spindle B; b is a frame consisting of two upright pillars carrying a horizontal
bar, and to which horizontal bar is attached a glass hook c, which when the
frame is placed in its position is suspended perpendicularly to and within a
short distance from the upper end of the spindle B; I also attach to this hori-
zontal bar and on the side next the bobbins a small frame or bracket carrying
a grooved roller d of metal, ivory, or other suitable material containing two or
more grooves, and working upon centres, and in such a position that the silk
or other material to be wound may be passed round the grooved roller d, and
over the glass hook c, then under the pulley Z, over the pulley a at the bend
of the flyer under the pulley Y at the extremity of the same, and finally fastened
to the reel A. If desired a small pressing roller may rest upon the grooved
roller d; f is a pillar or upright provided with a cross bar 9 which carries two
glass hooks or pulleys h, h', so that the silk may be passed over these hooks or
pullies and thence round the guide hook ", and round the small grooved
roller i. The raw silk is cleaned and wound upon small bobbins similar to
those shewn at V, V', in the centres of which I prefer to place a piece of stiff
coiled paper, fitting loosely inside the bobbins, which serves to prevent the
bobbins from delivering the silk too freely. Or a spring may be substituted so
as to press against the bobbins or other friction or drag appliance employed.
In lieu of the grooved roller i and glass hooks h, h', I propose in some cases
to use a pair of grooved rollers both of the same diameter and connected with
a horizontal rod or spindle working in suitable bearings on the cross piece g.
This rod or spindle is of such length that the grooved rollers may be over the
bobbins containing the silk, and in that case I also dispense with the pulley or
roller d, and attach glass hooks and pullies on to the cross bar of the frame b,
projecting sufficiently to enable the silk to be passed round them before passing
the glass hook c fixed to the centre of the frame.
g
Figures 4 and 5 represent in side elevation and plan a modified arrange-
ment of my silk twisting machinery. In this case I place two or more bobbins

page_text: V, V; filled with clean raw silk upon separate discs T, T, each disc being car-
ried upon the end of one, of two, three, or more radial arms t; t. These arms
rotate freely round a common fixed centre or axis u, whilst at the same time
the several discs are each made to rotate round their individual axis. In this
way the threads of the bobbins V on each disc are twisted together by the
rotation of the bobbins round the centre of the discs, and these twists (one for
each disc) are united and twisted together by the rotation of the discs round
their common centre. The arms are rotated by a band (v) acting upon a pully
(w) fixed thereto, and turning loosely on the spindle or axis (u) of the arms
or by means of toothed gearing; (a) is a fixed stationary pulley, fast on the
spindle (u) and (y) in an endless band passing round this stationary pulley
and round other smaller pulleys (2) fixed to the several axes of the discs.
Having now described and particularly ascertained the nature of my said
Invention, and the manner in which the same is or may be used or carried
into effect, I would observe, in conclusion, that what I consider to be novel
and original, and therefore 'claim as the Invention secured to me by the
herein-before in part recited Letters Patent, is, the system or mode of twisting
and winding silk, and the peculiar combinations of machinery or apparatus.
employed therein,' substantially as herein-before described and illustrated by my
Drawing.
In witness whereof, I, the said John Alexander Sparling, have hereunto
set my hand and seal, this Eighteenth day of December, in the year of
our Lord One thousand eight hundred and sixty-three.
JOHN A. SPARLING. (L.S.)