Improvements in Spindles for Spinning Machines.
Year: 1893

page_text: Date of Application, 26th Sept., 1893-Accepted, 28th Oct., 1893
Improvements in Spindles for Spinning Machines.
I, CHARLES GROSVENOR BUTTRICK, of No. 54 Race Street, in the City of
Holyoke, County of Hampden, and State of Massachusetts, United States of
America, Manufacturer, 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 spindles for spinning machines, the object being to
provide an improved construction of spindle, bolster, step and bolster-case, all as
hereinafter fully described, and more particularly pointed out in the claims.
In the drawing forming part of this Specification,
Figure 1 is a sectional view of the spindle-step, bolster and step-tube, or case,
and bobbin, a partly sectional view of the whirl and its hub, and a side elevation
of the spindle, all illustrating a spindle and co-operating parts, embodying my
improvements.
Figures 2, 3, and 5 are perspective views, respectively, of the bolster, the step,
and the bolster-bushing.
Figure 4 is a perspective view of a spindle-collar, below described.
Figure 6 illustrates a modification, fully described below.
Figures 7 and 8 are longitudinal sectional views of the bolster step case, spindle
and step, the latter embodying modifications of construction which will be herein-
after referred to.
The descriptions will be principally and first given in connection with the
construction shown in Figures 1 to 5, inclusive, the modifications shown in the
other views being latterly referred to; and in the drawing, A is the bolster-tube or
case which receives the spindle-step and bolster. Said tube has a cup-shaped
formation, 2, at its upper end, and thereat it is screw-threaded internally to receive
the bolster, as below described, and its lower end is fitted to receive the spindle-
step, and a spring on the latter, and to this end said tube is provided with a
concentric shoulder, 3, on its inner wall, a little above its lower end on which the
lower end of said spring rests, and a pin, 4, is fixed in one side of said tube
near said lower end which constitutes an inwardly extending projection on said
inner wall with which the spindle-step engages to prevent the latter from turning.
A shoulder, 5, around the inner wall of said cup, 2, having a diameter coinciding
with that of the inner wall of said cup serves as a base against which the bolster is
screwed, and the screw-thread, shown on the outside of the said tube, provides
means for suitably securing the same to a supporting rail of a spinning machine.
It will be seen that the said shoulder, 5, occupies a position at such distance,
laterally, from the axis of the bolster, and above the base of said cup, that it
affords a rigid support for the bolster and spindle, against the lateral deflection
of the latter by the strain of the spindle-driving band on the whirl of the
spindle.
The spindle-step, B, is of suitable tubular form to receive the lower end of the
spindle, and the outer surface thereof is provided with a shoulder, 6, which serves
as an abutment for the upper end of said spring, and the lower end of the step has
one or more grooves, 7, extending upward thereon, with either one of which the
said pin or projection, 4, in the tube, A, may engage for the purpose above set
forth.
Said pin, 4, is shown in Figure 3 separate from the tube, A. One or more
holes, 8, are made through the wall of the step, B, to permit the escape of sediment
therefrom, and to permit oil to circulate therethrough to or from the tube, A.

page_text: The grooves, 7, in the step, B, permit the step to move up and down while held by
the pin, 4, from turning.
A coil spring, 9, (shown in Figure 1 and by dotted lines in Figure 3) is placed
around the step, B, between the shoulders, 6 and 3, on said step, and on the
tube, A, respectively, which serves to lift and hold the step constantly against the
lower end of the spindle. Said spring also acts with sufficient lifting force to carry
the spindle upward to a limited degree, and to hold the upper end of the step
against the lower end of the bolster, as shown.
The bolster, D, is of suitable tubular form to receive the spindle, and is provided
with a flange, 10, which bears against said shoulder, 5, on the tube, A, and
effectually excludes all dirt and dust from the latter, and the lower end of the
bolster is threaded to screw into the upper end of said tube. The bolster, D,
extends upwardly from the flange, 10, sufficiently far to provide an adequate
support for the spindle and enter within the whirl-sleeve on the spindle, as shown,
and prevent dust from entering the bolster at its upper extremity. This last named
part of the bolster is provided with a tubular bushing, 12, (Figure 5) of brass or
similar bearing-metal, having an annular collar thereon engaging with the upper
end of the bolster and suspending it in the latter, said bushing being removable for
renewal, when necessary. To that end a pin, 13, is fixed in the side of the bolster,
one end of which projects slightly beyond the face of the inner wall thereof to
prevent the bushing from turning by contact with the spindle, said bushing, as
shown, having one or more slots, 14, in its lower end in which said pin engages, and
one or more oil holes, 15, which register with oil holes in the adjoining walls of the
bolster.
The opposite sides of the bolster, near said flange, 10, are preferably flattened,
slightly, to provide for applying a wrench thereto for screwing the bolster in and
out, and suitable oil hole, or holes, are made through the side of the bolster,
whereby the spindle and the step, and the parts within and above the tube, A, may
be easily supplied with oil.
After the bolster is screwed into the tube, A, as aforesaid, with its flange, 10,
against shoulder, 5, that part of the cupped end of said tube which extends above
said flange constitutes an oil receptacle in communication with the said oil hole, or
holes, through the sides of the bolster, which receptacle retains any surplus oil,
thereby preventing waste and tending to cleanliness.
The spindle, E, has fixed thereon the whirl-hub, 16, with which the whirl, 17, is
integral, said hub carrying the whirl on its lower end which is chambered, as
shown, to receive the upper end, 18, of the bolster, for the purpose above set
forth.
The spindle, above said whirl-hub, is made about one-half the usual length, and
the upper end of the spindle is fitted to receive the spindle-head, 19, which is
preferably of cylindrical form. Said head, 19, is so fitted to the tapered end of the
spindle that it is easily removed and replaced by the hand, and is properly retained
while the spindle is running, and when the bobbin is doffed, by reason of the
corresponding taper-forms of head and spindle. The said spindle-head is made
preferably of iron, or similar metal, but if found desirable it may be made of
hard wood, hard rubber, or aluminium, thereby sensibly diminishing the weight
thereof, and the tendency to vibration when the spindle shall be run at very high
speed.
Just below the part of the spindle enclosed by the bolster, D, is a collar, 20, (see
Figure 4) which is made preferably of brass, and is screwed onto the spindle.
This collar is of such diameter that it enters the upper end of the step, B, when
the several parts occupy their working positions, and its upper end abuts against
the lower end of the bolster, D, and prevents the spindle from being accidentally
withdrawn from the bolster and step during the operation of doffing, or when the
spindle-head is taken off, or at other times.
or hook
Said collar, 20, also obviates the employment of the "turn button""
heretofore fixed on the rail or step-tube, and extending above and to a position to

page_text: engage with the upper side of the whirl in order, if the bobbin be given an
unintentional upward movement, to retain it in place. The said spindle-retaining
hook is inconvenient because of the tendency of yarn-ends to become caught
thereon, and it hinders easy access to the spindle-parts when cleaning them.
If preferred, other means for constituting the locking shoulder of the spindle
may be employed than the screw-threaded collar, 20, as, for instance, a stud may
transversely enter, and project laterally from, the spindle at the place where the
screw-collar, 20, is shown. Either of these devices is efficient for locking the
spindle in the case while the bolster is in the latter.
The bobbin, J, has its lower end bored to a slight taper conforming to that of
the whirl-hub, 16, but above said tapered portion the bore
of uniform diameter.
Thus the bobbin has such frictional engagement with the whirl-hub as to cause it'
to be rotated uniformly with the spindle.
That portion of the bobbin above the whirl-hub is supported in line with the
spindle by the engagement of the spindle-head, 19, with the inner walls of the
bobbin.
The above described construction of the tapering whirl-hub, the bobbin, J,
frictionally supported on said hub, with its lower end at some distance above the
whirl, 17, and its uppermost portion supported by the short spindle, E, having the
removable head, 19, thereon, is one which provides many practical advantages in
running and in manipulation of the devices, among which are the following:
The clear space between the lower end of the bobbin and the enlarged part of
the whirl-hub permits the bobbin to always come to such a frictional bearing on
said bub as will invariably cause the bobbin to rotate coincidently with the spindle,
and thus ensure a perfectly twisted yarn.
In doffing, the short spindle facilitates the easy removal of the bobbin.
The support of the bobbin by the spindle-head near a central point between its
ends, provides such support where the yarn-load on the bobbin is greatest, and
tends to prevent vibratory movements under high speeds.
:
In doffing it often occurs that the end of yarn leading from the spinning-ring is
caught around the whirl-hub, and, through carelessness of the operator, more or less
yarn-waste is so allowed to collect on the tapered part of said hub, that the bobbin
cannot be brought to a proper bearing connection with the hub, and said faulty
connection results in uncertain rotation of the spindle and consequently slack-twisted.
and spoiled yarn. The remedy for this trouble is the removal of the waste yarn
from the whirl-hub.
To effect this the bobbin is first taken off. Then, if the spindle-head be fixed
thereon, the said waste must be cut or broken in order to remove it. But with the
spindle-head removable and the spindle secured in the bolster against upward
movement, as herein shown and described, said waste can, by removing the spindle-
head, be drawn upward off from the spindle, thus saving much time as compared
with breaking or cutting it off.
The spindle-step, B, instead of being a single tubular part, as seen in Figure 3,
may be formed of two parts, either as seen in the sectional view, Figure 1, or in the
sectional views, Figures 7 and 8.
In Figure 1 the upper part of the step is constituted by the sleeve or washer, 25,
setting on the upper end of the step proper. The construction of the sleeve in
sections renders the simpler formed part or section to be readily interchanged by
another of different height, whereby may be effected, as desired, the variable
vertical adjustment of the spindle and bobbin to cause the yarn to build onto the
bobbin between definite points thereon.
In Figure 8 the step is formed by the tubular part, 25*, which rests by its lower
end on the shoulder, 3, of. the casing, A, and the thimble-like part, 25, which
directly supports the spindle, the upper portion of which enters the lower part of
the section, 25, and bears by its upper end upon the internal shoulder, 26, thereof,
while the lower part of the step-section, 25, extends down within the casing below
the said shoulder and is supported by resting on the upper end of the spring which

page_text: is dropped into the bottom of the casing. Either of the parts, 25* or 25%, may, in
this construction, be interchanged for similar parts having varied vertical dimensions
for ensuring the aforementioned adjustment of the spindle.
In the form of the device shown in Figure 7 no spring is employed, as elasticity
in the support may not be in some cases desired; here the step proper is externally
shouldered, as at 27, and necked down therebelow receiving thereon the sleeve or
secondary section, 250, which rests on the shoulder, 3, of the case, A. By replacing
the sleeve, 25, by another of less vertical length, the step and spindle may be
correspondingly lowered.
In lieu of locking the two-part step against turning, by engagement with the
step-case, at the bottom, the step may be locked, as indicated in Figure 6, wherein
there is shown a pin, f, depending from the lower end of the tubular bolster, and
another pin, g, standing above the upper end of the tubular step proper; the
secondary or removable section, 25, is apertured at its side, with the boundaries of
which apertures the said pins engage. The bolster pin locks the section, 25, and
such so locked section, by its interlocking engagement with the pin of the step
proper locks the latter and therefore the step, as a whole, is locked against
rotation.
.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said
invention and in what manner the same is to be performed I declare that what I
claim is :-
1. The step-case having a cup at its upper end, and an annular shoulder on its
inner wall above the base of said cup, combined with the bolster engaging said case
by a screw-thread below the base of said cup, and having a flange engaging the
said shoulder in the casing, together with the spindle and operative connections, all
combined substantially as described.
2. The spindle, the step, the whirl-hub fixed to the spindle and having a chamber
therein, the step-casing having the cup at its upper end on whose wall is a
shoulder, 5, located above the base of said cup, the bolster screwing into said case
and having a flange, 10, bearing on said shoulder, and extending upwardly into
said chamber combined and operating substantially as set forth.
3. The spindle, the step, the whirl-hub fixed to the spindle and having a chamber
therein, the step-case having the cup at its upper end on whose inner wall is a
shoulder, 5, located above the base of said cup, the bolster extending upwardly
into said chamber and screwing into said case and having a flange, 10, bearing on
said shoulder, and having a piu, 13, through its side, and the removable bolster-
bushing, 12, having an annular collar thereon at its upper end engaging with the
upper extremity of the bolster, and one or more longitudinal slots in its lower end
and having a slot engaging with said pin, combined and operating substantially as
set forth.
4. The step-case and the bolster having screw-threaded engagement therewith,
the spindle having a removable collar thereon below the bolster, and the spring
supported step in the step-case bearing the spindle toward the bolster, all combined
substantially as described.
5. The step-casing, the steps therein of tabular form to receive the spindle and
having a passage, 8, through its wall, the spring supporting the step and the pro-
jection from the casing to prevent the rotation thereof, the spindle having a collar
within the step and the bolster with which said collar engages, all combined
substantially as described.
6. The step-case with the bolster having screw-threaded engagement therewith,
the spindle having a removable collar below said bolster, and the tubular step in
said step case inclosing said spindle and collar, said step having a lubricating
passage, and a spring surrounding said step above the lubricating passage and
bearing upward on the step, all substantially as described.
7. The combination with the spindle of the removable spindle-head, 19, the
tapering whirl-hub fixed on the spindle and the bobbin frictionally engaging with

page_text: said hub at its lower part, and steadied thereabove by said removable spindle-
head, substantially as and for the purpose set forth.
8. The spindle, the step-case, the bolster and the step, formed sectional,
whereby one of the parts thereof may be interchanged for another of varied
vertical dimension for securing vertical adjustment of the spindle and bobbin
carried thereby.
9. The combination with the spindle, bolster, and step-case, of the two part step,
the interchangeable section thereof having an interlocking engagement with the
step proper, and said section also having an inter-locking engagement with the
bolster whereby the step, as a whole, is held by the bolster from rotation.
10. The combination with the spindle, step-case and bolster having the depending
pin at its bottom, of the step proper having the pin standing above its upper end
and the removable step-section having an aperture therein, the boundaries of which
are engaged by the aforesaid pins, substantially as described.
Dated this Twenty-fourth day of August 1893.
CHARLES GROSVENOR BUTTRICK.
Haseltine, Lake & Co.,
45, Southampton Buildings, London, Agents for the Applicant.