AN IMPROVED ADDARATUS FOR BEELING SILK DIRECT FROM COCOONS ON BOBBINS
Year: 1863

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Sir Albert Keller, native of Zurich, Switzerland, and
established in Milan and Turin, for the Invention of "AN IMPROVED
ADDARATUS FOR BEELING SILK DIRECT FROM COCOONS ON BOBBINS."
Sealed the 9th June 1863, and dated the 9th March 1863.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by, the said Sir Albert Keller at the
Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on the 9th
March 1863.
I, Sir ALBERT KELLER, native of Zurich, Switzerland, and established in
Milan and Turin, do hereby declare the nature of the Invention for "AN
IMPROVED APPARATUS FOR REELING SILK DIRECT FROM COCOONS ON BOBBINS," to be
as follows:-
This Invention has for its object an apparatus for reeling silk direct from
cocoons on to bobbins. For these purposes an apparatus is combined in the
following manner, and by preference each combined apparatus is arranged to
wind twelve sets of cocoons at the same time; but apparatus may be similarly
arranged to wind other number of sets of cocoons.
The apparatus is further arranged in pairs, so that on the breaking of any of
the fibres, only one piar may be stopped in order to piece up the broken fibres.
The cocoons are placed in a basin containing water, which is kept heated by
a steam pipe. The desired number of filaments of silk from as many cocoons
are compacted together by an apparatus as the filaments rise towards a reel on

page_text: to which the compacted filaments are continuously wound, so as to take some
turns on the reel, and at the same time such compacted filaments are unwound
or delivered from the reel to a cylinder, which is either of smaller diameter
than the reel or moving with a less surface speed, so as to allow the filaments
of silk to shrink before they are wound on to a bobbin. The cylinder is placed
within a case or chamber, which is supplied with heated or dry air, and there
is a steam pipe within the chamber to heat the same. The bobbin on to
which the compacted fibres are wound is in surface contact with the cylinder,
and is caused to rotate thereby. The compacted filaments are spread evenly
on the bobbin when being wound thereon.
From the above description it will be understood that the fibres of any
desired number of cocoons are compacted together as they rise from the heated
water, they are then wound around a reel, from which after taking some turns
around the reel are delivered to the cylinder which is in the drying chamber,
so as to permit the silk to contract in length as the same becomes dry before
being wound on to a bobbin, which is also within the drying chamber. By
this system silk may be wound more advantageously on to bobbins than has
heretofore been the case.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent, filed
by the said Sir Albert Keller in the Great Seal Patent Office on the
5th September 1863.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, Sir ALBERT
KELLER, native of Zurich, Switzerland, and established in Milan and Turin,
send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her Letters
Patent, bearing date the Ninth day of March, 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 Albert Keller, Her special licence that I, the said
Albert Keller, my executors, administrators, and assigns, or such others.
as I, the said Albert Keller, my executors, administrators, and assigns,
should at any time agree with, and no others, from time to time and at
all times thereafter during the term thèrein 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
"AN IMPROVED APPARATUS FOR REELING SILK DIRECT FROM COCOONS ON BOBBINS,".

page_text: upon the condition (amongst others) that I, the said Albert Keller, my
executors or administrators, by an instrument in writing under my, or
their, or one of their hands and seals, should particularly describe and
ascertain the nature of the said Invention, and in what manner the same
was to be performed, 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 Albert Keller, do hereby declare the
nature of the said Invention, and in what manner the same is to be per-
formed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and by the following
statement thereof, that is to say :-
This Invention has for its object an improved apparatus for reeling silk
direct from cocoons on bobbins. For these purposes an apparatus is combined
in the following manner, and by preference, each combined apparatus is
arranged to reel with six sets of cocoons at the same time; but apparatus
may be similarly arranged to reel with other number of sets of cocoons.
The apparatus is further arranged in pairs, so that on the breaking of any
of the fibres only one pair may be stopped in order to piece up the broken
fibres. The cocoons are placed in a basin containing water, which is kept
heated by a steam pipe. The desired number of filaments of silk from as
many cocoons are compacted together by an apparatus as the filaments riso
towards a reel on to which the compacted filaments are continuously wound so
as to take some turns on the reel, and at the same time such compacted
filaments are unwound or delivered from the reel to a cylinder, which is either
of smaller diameter than the reel, or moving with a less surface speed so as to
allow the filaments of silk to shrink before they are wound on to a bobbin.
The cylinder is placed within a case or chamber, which is supplied with heated
or dry air, and there is a steam pipe within the chamber to heat the same.
The bobbin on to which the compacted fibres are wound is in surface contact
with the cylinder, and is caused to rotate thereby. The compacted filaments
are spread evenly on the bobbin when being wound thereon.
From the above description it will be understood that the fibres of any
desired number of cocoons are compacted together as they rise from the heated
water; they are then wound around a reel, from which, after taking some
turns around the reel are delivered to the cylinder which is in the drying
chamber, so as to permit the silk to contract in length as the same becomes
dry before being wound on to a bobbin, which is also within the drying
chamber. By this system silk may be wound more advantageously on to
bobbins than has heretofore been the case.

page_text: to describe the manner of performing the same.
DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS.
Figure 1 is a side elevation of my improved cocoon reeling apparatus. The
filaments of the cocoons (whose number varies according to the fineness of the
silk required) in the copper A containing hot water are united into a compact
thread by the means of crossing the cocoon threads round themselves on the
"tavelles" or crossing apparatus B, from whence the thread runs upon the
small reel C, which is placed below the warm case F, and which is of a some-
what larger circumference than the cylinder D, placed in the interior of the
said warmed case, being thus warmed itself. The proportions depend on the
degree of heat contained in the case, and also on the size of the silk thread,
and, finally, on the speed of the wheels. For obtaining the complete drying
of the silk thread I have put the cylinder D and the bobbin E into the said
case F, made with metal plates and heated by warm air, in unison with the
steam tube G which furnishes the steam to the coppers A for heating the water
in the same. The small reel C, placed below the case F, takes the silk
filaments from the copper A and gives the silk thread, made compact in B, to
the cylinder D, where the thread, becoming dry, shortens itself as much as the
circumference of this cylinder admits. The bobbin E, being moved by the
friction of contact of the cylinder D, on which it lies, freely receives the silk,
which is spread uniformly on its surface by a guide. The bobbin may be of
any size it may be wished. In this way the silk reaches the bobbin perfectly
dry, not subject to become sticky, and preserving its elasticity. All the parts
of the machinery described are made of metal except the extremities of the
small reel C, which are made of porcelain, although the same could be made
of metal also, as the reel itself could with the same effect be replaced by a
cylinder, provided the compensating circumference, relatively to the upper
cylinder, be not left out of sight.
Figure II. shews the front elevation of the apparatus and all its single parts
described. F is the case before referred to, where the warm air is introduced
by any known system through the tube L. The degree of temperature may
vary according to the fineness of the silk, the higher the temperature the
coarser the silk may be. The two wheels of the reel and the cylinder must
have the same number of cogs, and are moved by a third wheel fixed on the
shaft M. For diminishing the noise the middle wheel has cogs made of wood.
Notice may be taken that instead of making the circumference of the reel C
greater than that of the cylinder D, the same effect can be obtained by

page_text: diminishing the number of cogs of the former, so as to move the latter more
slowly, as the intended compensation, which is the main object of the improve-
ment, is thereby likewise obtained. G is the steam tube furnishing the steam
for heating the water of the coppers for reeling. The warm temperature is
maintained in the case F, not only by warm air ascending through the tube L,
but also by the steam tube G passing through the case F. Each copper with
six reels, six cylinders, and six bobbins, is attended by a reeling girl, who reels
at once six sets of cocoons, converting them into six compact silk threads.
The pulley N has three passes for giving to the motion the speed the quality
of the cocoons require. Another girl is employed for every three reeling girls
for attaching the threads when they break. For enabling that girl to attach
the threads there is a handle K for stopping only two sets of reels together
every time it occurs. In that way only one third of the work is intercepted
for the few moments required for making the knots. Each couple of sets has
in the case a little window H for enabling the workpeople to see if all is right
in the inside. When a thread breaks and involves itself upon the reel or upon
the cylinder instead of reaching the bobbin, the reel or the cylinder is taken
off and the few threads are wound up separately, so as not to have any
quantity of silk spoiled. The cocoons are brushed by the reeling girls
themselves or separately; for the latter purpose two coppers are placed at the
head Q.
Figure III. represents the plan of the machine. A, two coppers; O, two
small basins, containing cold water, for refreshing the hands of the reeling
girls who manage the cocoons in the hot water; P, two small basins for
discharging the dirty water from the coppers.
What I claim is the combined arrangement of apparatus herein described.
In witness whereof, I, the said Albert Keller, have hereunto set my hand
and seal, this Seventeenth day of August, in the year of our Lord One
thousand eight hundred and sixty-three.
ALBERI KELLEN.
(L.B.)