Improvements in Machinery for Winding Thread upon Disc Holders.
Year: 1890

page_text: Date of Application, 18th Nov., 1890
Complete Specification Left. 17th Aug.. 1891-Accented 3rd Oct. 1891
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Machinery for Winding Thread upon Disc
Holders.
I JOHN KEATS of Bagnall near Stoke-upon-Trent in the County of Stafford,
Engineer, do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as follows:-
This invention relates to improved machinery for winding thread in patterns
upon holders of the kind described in Letters Patent granted to me and bearing
date January 12th 1887, No. 518. In the Specification of that Patent, I described
a machine which, as the holders were rotated, laid the thread alternately on
opposite sides of spurs or arms with which the holders were provided.
I now propose, while using such holders, to receive the thread from reciprocating
thread laying arms; to measure the thread delivered to the holders; and auto-
matically to sever the thread when a given length has been wound thereon.
To this end, I provide a horizontal spindle, which is supported near the middle
of its length in fixed bearings carrying, at its opposite ends, adjustable collars fitted
each with an excentric pin.
The thread holders, which are formed preferably of paste-board, are set one on
each end of the spindle, and the excentric pins of the adjustable collars serve to
lock the holders to the spindle. Elastic pressing pieces capable of rotation,
and having their axes in line with the spindle, serve to secure the holders
in position. The threads to be wound are drawn from stationary bobbins, and pass
through fixed guide eyes, and thence are severally lapped around a V grooved
measuring pulley. From these pulleys the threads are led through fixed guides to
and through the reciprocating thread laying arms, which stand opposite the thread
holders to these holders the threads are respectively attached.
As the holders are rotated, the thread layers are reciprocated, and the thread
of each thread layer is drawn onto its holder, it being laid alternately on opposite
sides of the uneven number of spurs or arms with which cach holder is provided.
The grooved measuring pulley is rotated at the required speed by the draught of
the thread lapped around it. The spindle of this pulley turns freely in its bearings,
and carries a worm which, through a worm wheel and spur gearing, serves to
actuate an index hand. Upon the axle of the spur wheel thus driven, is fitted
loosely a cam plate, having a projecting pin, which is intended to interlock with
any one of a ring of, say, 10 holes formed in the face of the spur wheel. A coiled
spring serves to maintain the connection between the cam plate and spur wheel,
while it is free to yield, to provide for the axial adjustment of the cam plate with
respect to the wheel. The cam plate carries an index hand or pointer, which serves
to mark, on a fixed graduated dial, the progress of delivery of the thread to the
holder. A radial slot cut in the periphery of the can plate, is intended to receive
the end of an elastic lever connected with one limb of a pair of scissors.
the periphery of the cam plate resists the pressure of the lever, the scissors are
open, and the thread passes freely between the cutting edges. On the rise of the
lever, while entering the slot, the cutting edges of the scissors will close upon and
sever the thread.
While
Supposing the counting mechanism to be arranged for measuring 500 yards, if it
is desired to wind only 400 upon the holders, the cam plate is advanced to the
extent, say, of two holes, before the winding commences, and if 25 yards were
required, the plate would be advanced 5 holes, so that half a rotation of the spur
wheel would bring the index hand to the end of its course. Thus, when holders of
a greater or lesser number of arms than that for which the machine is adjusted are
required to be filled, the speed of rotation of the holders must be diminished or

page_text: increased to suit the change of holder, and the same remark applies when it is
desired to change the pattern of winding.
Dated this 18th day of November 1890.
Agents for the Applicant.
NOS & NO LAVEN
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Machinery for Winding Thread upon Disc
Holders.
I JOHN KEATS of Bagnall near Stoke upon Trent in the County of Stafford,
Engineer, 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 :-
This invention relates to a novel arrangement of machine for winding thread
upon disc holders, invented by me, and described in a Patent granted to me
January 12th, 1887, No. 518.
This thread holder is constructed from a disc of cardboard or equivalent material,
and is star shaped, having an odd number of spurs or arms, which receive the
thread alternately on their opposite sides. The thread thus disposed on its holder,
permits of being drawn off with great regularity, and always in the same plane.
In order to effect the winding of thread onto this class of holder with re,ularity
and speed, and in any given quantity, I have devised the machine which I will
now describe, reference being had to the drawings, in which-
Fig. 1 is a plan view of the machine;
Fig. 2 a side elevation; and Fig. 3 a front view of the same.
Fig. 4 shews, detached from the machine, and on an enlarged scale, the measuring
apparatus in side view; and
Fig. 5 is an edge view of the same, partly in section.
Fig. 6 shews a disc thread holder with 7 arms, for ned to receive a large supply
of thread.
Fig. 7 shews a similar thread holder charged with a supply of thread, the
winding on of which has produced a kind of "Catherine wheel" pattern.
Figs. 8 and 9 show a similar holder, but somewhat differently wound, and thus
producing a different pattern, the change being due to the different relative timing
of the rotation of the holder, and the reciprocation of the thread delivery arm.
A. (Figs. 1 and 2) is the bed plate of the machine. B is a horizontal spindle
fitted to receive, at its opposite ends, a disc thread holder C. This spindle is
mounted in bearings carried by a U shaped standard A' secured to the bed plate A.
AA is a pair of standards set in line with the standard A', and at opposite sides
thereof, and carrying sliding rods B¹ B¹.
To the inner ends of these rods are fitted loosely collars, which are pierced to
receive each a concentric and an excentric pin projecting from the ends of the
spindle B.
It is upon these pins that the discs CC are placed, and it is for the
purpose of holding these discs firmly in position, that the collars b, which are free
to rotate with the disc spindle, are employed.
Surrounding the rods B' B' are coiled springs b', which lie between a projection
on their respective rods and a fixed point of the bearings of the standards, and
serve to press the collars b'into close contact with their respective thread holders C.
The threads to be wound on these holders are drawn from bobbins D D, the centres
of which are held between a fixed standard A and shifting standards A*. Spring
brakes attached to the fixed standard bear on the periphery of these bobbins, to
put a slight tension upon the thread while the machine is in action. The threads
as they leave the bobbins D, pass through tension guide eyes d d*, and thence
severally around a V-grooved measuring pulley E, keyed each to a transverse
shaft E, which shafts have their bearings in standards A³ A. From these pulleys

page_text: the threads are led through guides d', and thence to the reciprocating thread
layers standing opposite the thread holders C, to which the threads to be wound
are attached. The thread layers consist of arms F F mounted on rock shafts F¹ F¹
working in standards A attached to the bed plate A. These arms are adjustable.
on their shafts, which are slotted longitudinally to receive a set screw, which
secures them firmly in their adjusted position. The arms F are each fitted, at
back, with a thread guide f, and in front with a longitudinally slotted arm F³,
which is capable of lateral adjustment, it being pivotted at its lower end to the
arm, and made fast in any desired portion by means of a set screw. The use of
the parts F and F will be hereafter explained. The arms F F are connected
together by a rod, which transmits the rocking motion of one arm to the other.
Keyed to one of the rock shafts F', is an arm F³, fitted at its upper end with a
bowl, which, by means of a coiled spring *, is caused to bear upon a face
G. This cam is keyed to a transverse shaft G+ mounted in a frame A made
fast to the bed plate. The cam shaft G receives rotary motion, through friction
discs gh, from the main driving shaft H, which is mounted in line therewith, and
is supported in a U shaped standard A³, attached to the bed plate. The friction
disc is free to slide on a feather on the driving shaft, while the disc is keyed to
the cam shaft. They are held in contact by an elastic hand lever H, which is
capable of locking with the bed plate in two positions, maintaining the contact of
the friction discs when in the drawn position of Fig. 1, and serving to hold the
friction disc out of action, as shown in the dotted position.
cam
4
When the friction gear is in work, the cam of the cam shaft G' will impart, a
reciprocating motion, through the bowl of the arm F, to the rock shaft F¹, and
through it to the thread layers, which are linked together.
It will now be understood that when rotary motion is imparted to the holders C C,
the threads will lay the thread alternately on the opposite sides of the arms of the
holders. The holder spindle is driven from the cam shaft G, it being fitted with a
pinion, which gears into an intermediate wheel I, mounted loosely on a stud
adjustable in a segment slot of the frame A'. This wheel I gears into a spur
wheel B', keyed on the holder spindle B, and, by replacing this spur wheel by one
having a greater or less number of teeth, and adjusting the wheel I into gear
therewith, the speed of rotation of the holders relatively to the reciprocating
motion of the thread layers F, may be changed to suit the work in hand. Thus,
when holders of a greater or lesser number of arms than that for which the machine
is adjusted are required to be filled, the speed of rotation of the holders must be
diminished or increased to suit the change of holder, and the same remark applies
when it is desired to change the pattern of winding from, say, that shown at Fig. 7,
to that illustrated by Fig. 9.
To provide for the use, in the machine, of holders of various diameters, it is
requisite that the thread layers should be made adjustable, in order that they may
be advanced or drawn back, to correspond in position to the diameter of the holders
employed. It is for this purpose that the arms F are fitted to the rock shafts in
the manner above described. It will also be desirable to vary the thickness of the
disc holders, and, to ensure the proper laying of the thread on the arms, very
It is
accurate lateral adjustment of the reciprocating thread layers is necessary.
for this reason that the slotted arms F carried by the arms F, are made laterally
adjustable thereon, as above explained, so that their reciprocations will extend
equally on opposite sides of the plane of rotation of the disc holder.
I will now describe the means which I employ for determining the length of
thread to be wound upon the holders. As the holder spindle B carries two disc
holders, and as two reciprocating arms are used, as described, to lay the threads
upon these holders, so the measuring mechanism to be now explained will be
constructed in duplicate, each mechanism having an independent motion the one of
the other.
Figs. 4 and 5 show the complete measuring apparatus for one thread, it being

page_text: designed to cut off the wound thread at a maximum length of 500 yards. Upon
the shaft E is mounted a worm e, which gears into a worm wheel E*, mounted on a
.stud axle e', projecting forward in front of the standard A. The worm wheel E
carries a pinion e², which, as the maximum length of thread required to be wound
is set at 300 yards, contains 10 teeth. This pinion gears into a spur wheel of
100 teeth, mounted on a stud axle projecting from the standard A, and upon the
same stud axle e is mounted a cam plate E³, having a tubular boss e, through
which the stud axle projects, to receive a retaining cross pin. This tubular boss et
forms a box for the reception of a coiled spring e (see Fig. 5), which surrounds
the stud axle, and bears, at one end, on the cross pin, and at the other against the
bottom of the box, whereby the cam has always a tendency to move towards the
spur wheel E* The cam plate is formed with a radial notch, cut in its periphery,
and affixed to the cam plate is an index hand E, which is designed to travel over
a graduated ring E, made fast to the standard A. In the face of the spur
wheel E2* is a ring of ten holes, made at equal distances apart, and intended to
receive a pin projecting from the under side of the cam plate E³.
It is by this contrivance, which allows of the cam plate being shifted axially,
that the length of thread desired to be wound upon the holder is regulated. Thus,
for example, if the full measure of 500 yards is required, the cam plate will be so
adjusted on the spur wheel E* as to ensure the index hand making a complete
revolution before the winding is stopped.
If, however, it is desired to wind only 400 yards, the cam plate with its index
hand will be moved forward the distance of two holes, prior to starting the winder,
and the pin on the cam plate will be allowed to drop into the second liole from the
starting point; thus, on the completion of the rotation of the index hand, although
500 is marked upon the divided ring Es, 400 yards only of thread will have passed
through the measuring apparatus. The shifting of the cam plate, it will be under-
stood, from one position to another on the spur wheel E2*, will readily be effected
by first drawing back the cam plate against the resistance of the coiled spring e;
then shifting it round so as to bring the locking pin of the cam plate over the
desired hole in the spur wheel, and leaving the spring free to effect the relocking of
the parts. When the index hand has reached the desired limit of indicated
measurement, the notch of the cam plate will be brought over a projection on a
bell crank lever K, which is fulcrummed on the standard A, and is held elastically
in contact with the periphery of the cain plate, by means of a spring . So soon,
therefore, as the notch comes into coincidence with the projection of the bell crank
lever, the spring will force the projection up into the notch of the cam plate, and
arrest the further delivery of the thread. The upward movement of the lever K
serves also to effect the severance of the thread by actuating a pair of scissors-L,
between the blades of which the thread passes to the thread layer. The pendent
limb of this bell crank lever serves as a handle for rocking it and drawing it clear
of the cam plate. These scissors L are carried by the standard A, and are
designed to sever the thread on the completion of a given length of winding. For
this purpose, they are connected with the rock lever K, so as to come into action on
the arrest of the cam plate, in the following manner. The horizontal limb of the
bell crank lever is slotted to receive a pin projecting from an arm M of a rock
shaft M', which shaft is carried in bearings in a bracket piece A**. This rock
shaft also carries an arm M², similarly provided with a pin, which takes into a
longitudinal slot formed in the moving limb of the scissors Ĺ. When, therefore,
the lever K rises, on the presentation to it of the notch of the cam plate it will
rock the shaft M, and cause the arm M² of that shaft, by means of the pin which
enters the moveable limb of the scissors, to close the blades, and sever the thread
running between the blades of the scissors.
On this severance being effected, the winding action of the machine will cease,
and the duty of the attendant will then be to throw out of action the friction disch,
and thereby to stop the action of the machine. It only 'then remains for the

page_text: attendant to draw back the elastic collars b, remove the filled holders, replace them
with empty discs, and re-engage the elastic collars with the spindle. The attendant
will next, by depressing the levers K, open the scissors, and permit of the threads
being drawn forward, inserted in their respective threads layer arms, and attached
to their respective disc holders, to repeat the operation of winding.. As this
pulling forward of the threads will cause the rotation of the V pulleys E, a corre-
sponding movement in the measuring apparatus will, through the worm and worm
wheel gearing, take place, and the amount of thread thus carried forward,
preparatory to the resumption of the winding, will be properly indicated. To
facilitate the proper relative adjustment of the disc holders, and thread layers, the
holder spindle is provided with collars 62, which are adjusted on the spindle B by set
screws, and serve, with the yielding collars b, to grip the holders. As the collars b
are free to yield to pressure, the adjustment of the collars 62 on the spindle B will
determine the proper position of the holders with relation to the thread layers.
The slot in the thread layers allows of the thread rising therein as the
accumulation on the holders takes place, thus avoiding the deflection of the thread
which would otherwise occur as the holders become filled.
Fig. 6 shews the form of disc holder which I prefer for thread wound as shewn
in Fig. 7, while Fig. 8 shews the one used for thread wound as shewn in Fig. 9.
In Figs. 6 and 8 is shewn the method of constructing these disc holders in dotted
lines. The two sides of the slit which receive the thread are segments of two
circles, the centres of which lie in the dotted circle 1. The slits are closed at y by
curved lines, the centres of which lie in the dotted circle 2. The outer ends = of
the spurs or arms are segments of circles whose centres lie in the dotted line 3.
In Fig. 7 it will be seen that the thread is wound on alternate sides of the arms
or spurs.
In Fig. 9 it is wound on alternate sides of two consecutive arms, the odd number
serving, as in the first case, to provide for the even distribution of the thread over
the holder.
To obtain the pattern shewn at Fig. 9, the speed of rotation of the holder with
relation to that of the thread laying arın, must be doubled.
The mode above described of constructing a 7-armed holder, applies also to a
9 or 11-armed one, and to holders of different diameters.
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. The construction of thread winding machine above described, consisting of a
disc holder spindle in gear with the main driving shaft, for giving rotary motion to
the holders, and fitted with adjustable clamping collars for gripping the holders and
determining their position relatively to the reciprocating adjustable thread layers,
which are moved by means of face cam and rock shaft, or other rocking device,
across the plane of rotation of the disc holders, to deliver thread thereto, the thread
being drawn from bobbins, and lead through guides to a grooved pulley, around
which the thread is laid on its passage to the thread layers.
2. In combination with a thread winding machine, which draws its threads from
bobbins, and winds the same upon disc holders by the aid of reciprocating thread
layers, the measuring apparatus above described (whether single or in duplicate),
such measuring apparatus consisting of a V-grooved pulley keyed to a worm shaft,
which drives, through a worm wheel and pinion, a measuring wheel, to which is
fitted adjustably a notched indicator cam plate, for receiving on its periphery the
pressure of a locking lever, held elastically in contact with the cam plate, and
connected, through rocking arms, with the moving arm of a pair of scissors,
between the blades of which the thread passes on its way to the holders, such cam
plate locking into the face of the measuring wheel, and being adjustable axially
thereon, for the purpose of varying the amount of rotation of the cam plate, to

page_text: suit the length of thread to be wound, and correspondingly timing the severance of
the thread, by the closing of the scissors upon it, an indicator on the cam plate
travelling over the face of a stationary divided ring, to shew the progress of the
winding.
151 T
"
1001
NEWTON & SON,
Agents for the Applicant.