IMPROVEMENTS IN MULES FOR SPINNING AND DOUBLING COTTON AND OTHER FIBROUS MATERIALS
Year: 1876

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to John Muir Hetherington, of Manchester, in the County of
Lancaster, Mechanical Engineer, and John Baker, of the same Place, Mechanical
Engineer, for the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN MULES FOR SPINNING AND
DOUBLING COTTON AND OTHER FIBROUS MATERIALS."
aled the 21st October 1876, and dated the 28th April 1876.
"
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said John Muir Hetherington and
John Baker at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents on the 28th April
1876.
JOHN MUIR HETHERINGTON, of Manchester, in the County of Lancaster, Me-
chanical Engineer, and JOHN BAKER, of the same Place, Mechanical Engineer.
IMPROVEMENTS IN MULES FOR SPINNING AND DOUBLING COTTON AND OTHER
FIBROUS MATERIALS."
Our Invention relates-
Firstly. To the backing off motion, and consists in an arrangement whereby the
backing off wheel is driven direct from the loose pulley on the "rim shaft" without
the intervention of intermediate wheels. The backing off shaft is driven by a
pinion on the boss of the loose pulley, and on the end of the said shaft is a pinion
gearing into an internal wheel attached to the friction cone, and by this arrange-
ment we are enabled to place the "rim pulley" close to its bearing.
Secondly. Our Invention consists in an improved method of connecting the
backing off to the taking in motion, so that the latter cannot come into gear until
the former is completed. To the taking in lever is connected a rod which extends.
to the front of the headstock, at which situation is a part held by a catch during
the drawing out, and extending from the said catch is a projecting part, beneath
which a part extending from the monkey lever arrives when the backing off is
completed. When that has taken place the "monkey lever" rises in the ordinary
manner, and the projecting part thereon lifts the aforesaid catch, thereby liberating
the rod which it had held, and allowing it to place the taking in friction into gear.
When the taking-in motion is completed the cam shaft by another change restores
the parts to the first mentioned position.
Thirdly. Our Invention relates to that motion in mules which is sometimes used
for driving the rollers during the running in of the carriage. Upon the ordinary
side shaft used for driving the quadrant is a beyil pinion taking into another,
which by means of clicks drives a spur wheel in one direction, which spur wheel is
[Price 8d.]

page_text: at times in gear with another on the axis of the front roller, and this intermediate
is carried by a bell-crank lever capable of turning upon a centre, and carrying on
its other arm an adjustable incline. As the carriage runs in the aforesaid wheels
being in gear the rollers are caused to revolve, but a continuation of the said
running in will bring a projecting part against the aforesaid incline, and by turning
outward the intermediate wheel will arrest the driving of the rollers. The said
projecting part having passed beyond the incline allows the wheels to go into gear
at a slow speed, and as it turns upon a centre does not move the lever as the
carriage runs out.
As
Fourthly. Our Invention relates to a method of taking up the slack of the
backing off chain and depressing the winding faller. Upon the faller rod we place
a lever, carrying at one end a roller, over which the backing off chain passes.
the carriage runs out an incline on the other end of the said roller runs against a
fixed stop, and by running thereon causes its other cud to take up the slack of the
chain, and this chain passing over the lever by which the fallers are depressed it is
tightened to such an extent as to bring the faller wire as near as desired to the
point of the spindle.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent filed by the
said John Muir Hetherington and John Baker in the Great Seal Patent Office
on the 28th October 1876.
JOHN MUIR HETHERINGTON, of Manchester, in the County of Lancaster, Me-
chanical Engineer, and JOHN BAKER, of the same Place, Mechanical Engineer.
"IMPROVEMENTS IN MULES FOR SPINNING AND DOUBLING COTTON AND OTHER
FIBROUS MATERIALS."
Our Invention relates-
Firstly. To the backing off motion, and consists in an arrangement whereby the
backing off wheel is driven from the loose pulley on the "rim shaft" without the
intervention of intermediate wheels. This arrangement is shown at Figs. 1 and 2
of the accompanying Drawings, which shew a portion of the headstock of a mule.
At 1 is the ordinary loose pulley, on the boss of which is a pinion 2 taking into a
wheel 3 mounted on the backing off shaft 4, on the end of which is a pinion 5
gearing into an internal wheel, which is cast with the friction cone 0, as seen in the
detached view, Fig. 3. At 7 is a bevil pinion on the face of the wheel 3 taking
into another 8 on the shaft 9 of the taking in cone 10. At 11 is the rin pulley
which by means of the arrangement above described we are enabled to place close
to its bearing, as shewn in the Drawing.
Secondly. Our Invention consists in an improved method of connecting the
backing off to the taking in motion, so that the latter cannot come into gear
until the former is completed. This part of our Invention is shewn at Fig. 4.
At 12 is the taking in cone, and at 13 the usual lever thereof, the lower part of a
rod 14 extending therefrom being connected to a bell-crank lever 15 turning upon a
fixed centre 16, and drawn in one direction by a spring 17, so that the said spring
tends to place the friction cones in gear. To the bell-crank lever 15 is connected a
rod 18 which extends to the front of the headstock, where it moves in a guide and
carries a stop 19. At 20 is a catch capable of turning upon a centre 21 so as to
hold the stop 19, and therefore the rod 18 against the force of the spring 17, and
this catch is provided with a projecting part 22. At 23 is the usual "monkey
lever," but in this case it is provided with a foot which carries a set screw 24.
The operation is as follows:-The positions of the parts being those they assume
when the carriage is running out. As this motion proceeds the monkey lever 23
arrives in contact with the bowl 25 of the usual depressing lever, and when the
backing off has been completed the head of the set screw 24 arrives against the
projection 22 and lifts the catch 20 clear of the stop 19, and the rod 18 being

page_text: therefore free is drawn forward by the spring 17, by which means the bell-crank
lever 15 will be turned, and the taking in cones put into gear. When the taking in
motion is completed the cam shaft by another change restores the parts to the
positions shewn. The end of the rod 18 is provided with a bowl 26, against which
is one end of a bell-crank lever 27, one end therefore answering the purpose of a
treadle by means of which the attendant may draw back the rod 18 so as to dis-
engage the cones 12, and upon the catch 20 is a treadle 28, through the medium of
which the said rod 18 may be liberated.
The third part of our Invention relates to that motion in mules which is some-
times used for driving the rollers during the running in of the carriage, and is
shewn in the partial views of a mule, Figs. 5, 6, 7, 8. Upon the ordinary side
shaft used for driving the quadrant is a bevil pinion 30 taking into another 31,
which is capable of driving a spur wheel 32 through the medium of a wheel 33, and
which wheel 32 constitutes a carrier for driving (when required) a wheel 34 on the
axis of the front roller 35. The carrier 32 acts as a driving medium in one direction
only by means of the arrangement shewn at Fig. 7, it being carried round by a
click and ratchet wheel 36 according to an arrangement well known in mules. The
wheel or carrier 32 is mounted upon a bell-crank lever 37, 38, which is capable of
turning loosely upon the centre 39 of the wheel 33, but is drawn so as to keep the
carrier 32 in gear by means of a spring 40. The end 38x of the bell-crank lever is
provided with an adjustable incline 41, and in order to secure steadiness of motion
the end of the said lever is bent, as at 42, such bent part being situate behind a
fixed guide 43. Upon the counterfaller shaft 44 is an arm 45 provided with a
weighted lever 46, which carries a set screw acting as a stop to the said arm in one
direction by abutting against the faller shaft 47, such arm therefore inay turn in
one direction but not in the other. According to the positions of the parts shewn
in the Drawing the carriage is running in and the wheels 32, 33, 34, are in gear,
and motion is communicated to the rollers through the medium of the side shaft,
the running in then taking place; a continuation, however, of such running in
will bring the arm 45 in contact with the incline 41 so as to depress the end of
the bell-crank lever 38×, and turn the carrier wheel 32 out of gear so as to arrest
the driving of the rollers. When the arm 45 has passed beyond the apex of the
incline it allows the spring 40 to place the carrier 32 again into gear, and as the
carriage runs out the arm 45 turns upon its centre 44 so as not to act upon
the lever 38, 38*, the reason for driving the carrier 32 by means of the click and
ratchet will be apparent, for, as is well known, the side shaft turns in both
directions. In case of mules of great length and consequently a proportionate
amount of weight upon the carrier 32, that wheel might be liable to get out of
gear, to guard against this we use the following locking arrangement :-Beneath
the lever 38 is a stop 50 projecting from a levér 53 capable of turning upon a
centre 51, the outward end of such lever being sufficiently heavy to bring the
stop 50 into the position shewn. At 52 on the carriage is an adjustable incline
which, when the lever 38 has to be depressed as above described, arrives in contact
with the lever 53, turns it upon its centre, and moves the stop 50 from under the
lever 38.
The fourth part of our Invention relates to a method of taking up the stack of
the backing off chain and depressing the winding faller. This arrangement is
shewn at Figs. 9, 10. At 60 is the winding faller upon which there is a lever
with a roller 61, over which the backing off chain 62 passes, and from thence over
another roller 63 carried by an arm 64 extending from the counterfaller 65, the
end of the said chain being connected to another arm 66 also extending from the
counterfaller and fast with that shewn at 64. At 67 is an incline fixed to the frame
of the headstock. As the carriage runs out the arm 66 arrives in contact with the
incline 67, and by being thus caused to turn depresses the roller 63 and takes up
the slack of the chain, and this chain passing over the lever by which the faller is
depressed it is tightened to such an extent as to bring the faller wire as near as
desired to the point of the spindle. Instead of the fixed incline 67 that part of the

page_text: apparatus might be carried by the arm 66 and run against a fixed stop, or a
separate incline may be used to depress the faller, and the above described apparatus
will take up the slack chain.
Having thus described and ascertained the nature of our said Invention, and the
manner in which the same is to be performed, I desire it to be understood that we
claim as secured to us under the above in part recited Letters Patent and for the
purposes above set forth-
Firstly. The arrangement, substantially as described, whereby the backing off
wheel is driven from the loose pulley on the rim shaft through one shaft only
without the intervention of the intermediate wheel.
Secondly. The arrangement, substantially as described, for connecting the backing
off to the taking in motion.
Thirdly. The arrangement, substantially as described, for stopping the roller
motion when the desired quantity of yarn is delivered at any position of the
carriage as it is running in.
Fourthly. The arrangement, substantially as described, for taking up the slack of
the backing off chain and depressing the winding faller.
.
In witness whereof, I, the said John Baker, have hereunto set my hand and
seal, this Twenty-seventh day of October, in the year of our Lord One
thousand eight hundred and seventy-six.
JOHN BAKER. (L.S.)