IMPROVEMENTS IN COP SPINDLES
Year: 1881

page_text: PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by George William Stafford at the
Office of the Commissioners of Patents on the 16th March 1881.
GEORGE WILLIAM STAFFORD, a Citizen of the United States, residing in
Lawrence, Essex County, State of Massachusetts. "IMPROVEMENTS IN COP
SPINDLES."
The object of this Invention is to increase the durability and serviceability of
the spindle on which the cops are wound in worsted spinning. This I accomplish by
making the spindle detachable from its base, and providing suitable means of
attachment, detachment, and adjustment, the spindle being tapered at each end so
that it can be reversed, all substantially as hereinafter set forth and claimed.
In the accompanying Drawings, Figure 1 represents a sectional elevation of my
improved spindle with its cap, bushing, and nut; Figure 2 represents in detail
an elastic bushing slotted at its lower end; Figure 3 is a vertical section of the
old form of spindle; and Figure 4, a modified construction of bushing and nut.
In the form of spindle hitherto chiefly in use for worsted spinning, the spindle Z
(Fig. 3) has been made integral with its base z, the upper end of the spindle
being tapered and fitting in a corresponding recessed bearing X in the cap, and
which forms part of the upper end of the cap. Of course the removing and
replacing of the cap in doffing about four times an hour causes constant wear
between the proximate faces of the end z' and bearing X, and in consequence they
cease to fit after a comparatively short time, and a new bearing is required and
Bubstituted.
To obviate this, the practice has prevailed of cutting off the tip of the spindle
and turning an equal amount off the butt or bases of the spindle in order to
compensate for the loss of length in cutting the tip; this procedure affords
temporary relief from the inconvenience above mentioned, but each cutting
necessarily shortens the base of the spindle, so that two cuttings are as many as
can practically be made without defeating the very object sought, namely,
steadiness of the spindle and cap.
z
My present Invention consists of a spindle A, which is tapered at its lower
end a¹ as well as its upper end a, and made detachable from its base B.
The latter consists of a cylindrical bushing or sleeve, which may be made in
two sections if desired. It is shown in the Drawings as slotted at its lower and

page_text: integral at its upper end, and is provided with the nut D which engages with
screw-threads cut on the outside of the lower end of said sectional bushing, and is
intended to act as a base or support for the spindle, and prevents the latter from
being driven out of position by the act of replacing the cap. The upper end of
this bushing B is enlarged and made convex, as shown at b³
The bushing B, instead of having threads cut on its exterior perimeter, may be
tapped and receive a set screw (Fig. 4), which will take the place of the nut D and
act equally well both as a base for support and as an adjuster.
The lower end of the nut D is also rounded into an approximation to the sugar-
loaf form and provided with a central bearing point 63. When the spindle is in a
vertical position as usual, its end a rests in or against nut D, which then serves as
a base for said spindle. A check nut s may in most cases be used on the bushing
in connection with the nut D to prevent the latter from working off or starting
under the influence of any undue jar or from other causes. Of course, a suitable
washer or packing may be interposed between the nut D and the base of the
spindle to make allowance for further adjustment of the nut on the bushing in
setting up than if it was not placed there.
The cap is designated by C and rests upon the tapered bearing of the spindle, as
shown at a The wear at this point comes mainly from the act of removing and
replacing the cap upon said tapering end a. When the latter is too much worn,
and it is desired to obtain a new bearing, the nut D is unscrewed from off the
bushing and the spindle is readily removed therefrom and turned end for end, so
that a¹, which was previously the lower end, will become the upper one and receive
'the wear in its turn.
After both ends have thus become worn till they no longer properly answer
their purpose, they may be cut down in the usual way." When the spindle is again
replaced in its head, the nut D is screwed farther up on the bushing by the
amount cut off at both ends of the spindle, so as to be in position to serve as a base
as before stated, thus compensating for the reduced length of the spindle. This
proceeding is not a necessity however, except when the location of the bushing is
unchangeable, as is ordinarily the case. I prefer to let the bushing set in the rail
and to fasten it thereto by a set screw.
My improved spindle is calculated to outwear several spindles constructed
according to the old form and gives much less trouble, since the operation of
cutting down occurs but half as often, and the substitution of a new spindle for an
old one is less frequently required.
.
The rounding of the upper end of the bushing allows the frame to be more
easily cleaned and wiped off.
Instead of a bushing in two sections as before mentioned, I may substitute an
elastic bushing split from its lower end to its middle portion, or a bushing in
more than two sections may be employed.
с
.
The former construction is shown in Figure 2, which represents in elevation a
bushing having the slot c in its lower portion, its upper portion being unslotted.
I have found by experiment however that a bushing with the slot cut from the
top downward, leaving the lower portion integral, acts very efficiently, as in the
former case (cut from the bottom) it is very necessary to have a snug fit between
the spindle and the bore of the bushing, otherwise the spindle is not steady unless
the set screw passes entirely through the bushing on to the spindle proper. While
in cutting from the top there is a certain spring of the parts of the bushing in.
pushing the spindle down into place, and when the bushing is fastened in position
on the rail by the set screw, these parts are brought together and effectually clamp
the spindle, thus securing a perfectly firm union between the parts.
The screw-threaded lower portion of the bushing receives the nut D before
described, which not only serves as a support for the spindle but also as an adjuster
whenever said spindle is cut down. The bushing with split elastic lower end and
an integral upper part has some advantage over the sectional bushing, in that the
said upper part needs no clamping, All parts of the sectional bushing are clamped

page_text: by the action of the set screw through the frame and held quite as securely as if in
one piece.
In any case the spindle is of cylindrical form, as is usual, and the internal shape
of the bushing corresponds closely thereto.
Other clamping device may of course be substituted for the set screw in the
frame. The spindle may be used for other analogous purposes as well as for worsted
spinning.