Improvements in or connected with Self Acting Mules for Spinning.
Year: 1893

page_text: Date of Application, 19th Apr., 1893-Accepted, 19th Aug.. 1893
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in or connected with Self Acting Mules for
Spinning.
A communication by CARL RICHARD SCHWALBE, of Werdau, in the Kingdom of
Saxony and Empire of Germany, Manufacturer.
I, WILLIAM PHILLIPS THOMPSON F.C.S., M.I.M.E. of the Agency for
Foreign Patent Solicitors, 6 Lord Street, Liverpool, and 6 Bank Street, Man.
chester, both in the County of Lancaster and 323 High Holborn in the County of
Middlesex, Civil 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 self acting mule for carded yarn, and consists in the
arrangement that, by means of two differential gearings arranged on the main
driving shaft, and each operated independently but mutually influenced, the speed
of the carriage at its start, that is, during the stretching of the roving, is evenly
delayed, and, in reverse proportion to this delayed movement of the carriage, the
revolutions of the spindles are accelerated, on the completion, however, of the
outward movement of the carriage, the function of the otherwise hitherto
universally employed leather-brake (the so-called backing off brake) which causes
the drawing back of the thread from the point of the spindle before the winding,
is carried out by means of the differential gearing.
On the accompanying drawings:
Figure 1 shows a plan view of the driving mechanism for this self acting mule ;
the parts arranged on the main shaft A. are shown in section.
Figure 1 shows a plan view of the carriage and its belongings.
Figure 2 is a side view and partial section of the driving mechanism.
Figure 2 shows a vertical section of the carriage and its belongings.
Figure 2B shows one of the two differential gearings arranged on the main shaft,
with the driving pulley stopped.
Figure 3 shows a section of the main shaft A with the gearings mounted
thereon.
Figure 4 shows an end view of the self acting apparatus.
Figure 5 shows the mechanism for throwing the bevel gearing in and out of
play.
Figure 6 shows a side of the gear wheels on the self acting mule.
Figure 7 shows the device for throwing the pawl in and out of gear, by means of
which pawl the driving disc of the two differential gearings is stopped.
Fig. 8 shows an end view of this same mechanism.
The differential gearing B, Figure 3, inserted in the driving apparatus for the
starting of the carriage and supply of the roving, consists of the cog wheel 2 keyed
fast on the bush 1, the circumferential wheels 7° and 7" and the driving wheel 4
which has internal cogs.
The bush 1 also carries the change wheel 8 necessary for operating the rollers
and the spindle carriage. The disc 4 with its internal cogs is fitted loosely on the
bush 1, the same is the case with the loose disc 5 with the wheel 15 firmly keyed
on its nave, which latter wheel serves for operating another shaft 17, Figure 1, and,
finally, the regulating wheel 6, in the disc of which the axles of the two circum-
ferential wheels 7 and 7° are fixed, which latter wheels engage with cog wheel 2
and the inner cogs of the disc 4.
The differential gear C inserted in the spindle driving mechanism consists of the

page_text: disc 9 with the inner bevel wheels 10 and 10' and the cone wheel 11 fixed on
the main shaft A. The loose pulley 12 is fitted beside the wheel 9.
Further, the counter worm 13 and the twist whirl 14 are also fixed on the
shaft A.
The two differential gearings B and C have each its own belt driving gear, the
one influences the movement of the rollers and carriage, and the other that of the
spindles. Both gearings are connected with one another by means of the bevel
wheel 3 keyed firmly on the bush 1, on which the gearing B is arranged, and this
bevel wheel engages with the two circumferential wheels 10 and 10° of the
differential gearing C. By means of the wheel 8 fastened on the outer end of the
bush 1 before mentioned, the roving cylinder and the carriage are operated, whilst
the whirl 14, fixed on the shaft A, drives the spindles.
In consequence of the connection of the two differential gearings by means of
the wheel 3, the regulation by means of wheel 6 simultaneously influences both
differential gearings in such a way that a constantly increasing acceleration of the
spindles takes place simultaneously with a constant retardation of the movement of
the carriage and delivery of roving produced by means of a constantly increasing
acceleration of the wheel 6.
The constantly increasing acceleration of the regulating wheel 6 during the
outward movement of the carriage is brought about, in the case illustrated, by
means of a belt cone gear, Figures 4 and 5, this can, however, be carried out by
means of other mechanism, such as face revolved discs, etcetera.
The belt cone gear employed in this case, after the clutch 21 has been coupled,
sets the regulating wheel 6 in operation by means of the wheel 46 and the
intermediate wheels 47 and 48, and this wheel 6 receives a constantly increasing
speed through the belt cone gear, whilst, after setting in motion the differential
gearing, a retardation of the movement of the bush 1 with its wheel 15, and thereby
also of the carriage and the roving movement, takes place under the action of B,
and simultaneously, by means of the bevel wheel 3 under the action of C, a
constantly increasing acceleration of the bevel wheel 11 fixed on the main shaft A,
and therewith of the twist whirl 14 is brought about.
The cone drum 38, which operates the regulating wheel 6 by means of inter-
mediate gearing, is placed on a bush sitting loosely on the side shaft 17, which is
kept constantly rotating. On the cone 38 is placed, on inserted spring wedges,
the one half of a clutch 21 which is adjustable sideways, on the other half of 21
there is a cog wheel 46 which engages with the intermediate wheel 47; the
wheel 48 is placed on the same shaft as this wheel 47, and the former operates
wheel 6.
The belt pulley 42, fixed on the side shaft 17, drives, by means of the pulley 41,
the shaft 40 on which the counter cone 39 and worm 33 are arranged. This worm
causes to be operated, by means of a train of gearing 34 35 and 36 and a coupling 22,
Figure 2, (which latter is capable of being disengaged) both the wheel 37 and the
belt guide 32 which is provided with a rack bar. By turning the cam shaft 18,
Figure 2, at the commencement of the movement of the carriage, the shaft which
carries the lever arm 65 is revolved by means of the elliptical wheel 50, Figures 2
and 5, and therewith, at the same time, the clutch 21 is coupled by means of fork 64.
At the same time, the spindle 66 is revolved by the lever arm 65, and therewith
the little counter coupling 22 is engaged. The belt guide 32, Figure 4, then
commences to move sideways and to carry the belt with it; this movement lasts
until the carriage has completed its outward movement, whereupon, by a half
revolution of the axle 18, the two couplings 21 and 22 are disengaged and the half
coupling 21, which is only connected during revolution with the cone 38, is drawn
back by means of the spring 52. The weight 45, attached to a cord, then draws
the belt guide back into its original position.
The two wheels 35 and 36 inserted in the gearing for operating the belt guide 32
are so-called change wheels and may be taken off and replaced by others having a
different number of teeth, in order thus to produce another change in the speed

page_text: and thus to allow af the belt guide, during the period of the outward movement of
the carriage, being moved quicker or slower according to requirements, that is to
say according to the kind of material to be spun.
This easy adjustment of the speed of the belt guide to the quality of the
material which is to be treated is of great influence on the entire process of
spinning, especially in the case of this mode of construction, as by means of the-
belt guide 32 the upper belt cone 38, is set in motion and by means of the latter
the differential wheel 6, which latter wheel influences and regulates both the
movement of the carriage as well as the revolutions of the spindles.
The replacement of both the change wheels 35 and 36 by others containing a
different number of teeth has therefore a corresponding influence, both on the
movement of the carriage and supply of the roving, as well as on the revolutions
of the spindles.
It is however well known that the tension must be altered for different kinds of
fibres until it is suited to the material. This alteration can in this apparatus be
very easily brought about by replacing the change wheels 35 and 36 by others
having the requisite number of teeth, and thereby the tension may be so altered
that any material, even if it is very short fibred may be spun with equal advantage.
An increased capability of delivery in addition results precisely because owing to
the correct adjustment of the revolutions of the spindles and the tension, breakages
of the thread are diminished. Further, the whole movement of the carriage may
be accelerated in the case of suitable material, by replacing the wheel 8 seated on
the bush of the main shaft by another similar one, having a suitable number of
teeth, and the twist whirl 14 by another of suitable diameter. For each of such
self acting mules therefore there is provided a set of such wheels 8 having various
numbers of teeth, and also a set of twist whirls of various diameters.
speed of the spindles always agrees with the movement of the carriage the mode
of construction hereinbefore described allows, without fear of deteriorating the
quality of the twist, of an acceleration of the movement of the carriage over other
forms of construction in which the speed of the spindles is irregular, so that by
means of this improved machine an increased production is obtained
As then the
As already mentioned herein before, this arrangement of differential gearing may
also be utilised for causing the so called backing off, so that the special backing off
brake hitherto employed inay be dispensed with, which greatly assists in simplifying
the moving parts of the main driving shaft. The so called backing off consists, as
is well known, in the spindles being first turned before the winding on, in an
opposite direction to that of the yarn during twisting in order to release the threads
adhering to their points in order that the winding on and counter winders may act
thereon. These manipulations are otherwise generally carried out by means of a
leather brake situated on the main shaft. This arrangement with two differential
gearings however enables the leather brake to be dispensed with. The functions
of the same are essentially performed by the differential gearing B, whilst the
differential gearing C in this case only acts as a conveyor.
The operation of backing off is performed by both driving pulleys 4 and 9 being
arrested at a suitable moment, and the regulating wheel 6, which then acts as a
driving wheel on the twist whirl 14, is given an even speed. This is effected by
means of the side shaft 17 which is maintained in constant rotation and the clutch 51
placed on the same, which, after the carriage has reached the end of its course, is
coupled by revolving the cam shaft 18 after the coupling 21 arranged on the cone 38
has been disconnected. This stoppage or braking of the two pulleys 4 and 9 is
effected by means of the pawls 61 and 61, Figures 2, 2B 7 and 8, which are
released on the disengaging of the belt guide R, Figure 2, of the wheel 9, and
drop into the ring of teeth 4ª and 9ª formed in the driving wheels 4 and 9 of the
differential gearings B and C. The pulleys are thereby held fast, and with the
now even movement of the regulating wheel 6, a return revolution of the wheel 2
with the bush 1 is brought about by the action of the differential gearing B.
The speed of this return revolution is regulated by the proportions of the

page_text: differential gearing C. This movement of the bush 1 is conveyed by means of
the bevel wheel 3 to the bevel wheels 10° and 10 of the differential gearing C,
and as the pulley 9 is held fast with the axes of the wheels 10 and 10%, these latter
only act with a shifting effect on the cone wheel 11 fixed on the main shaft A.
The main shaft A and the twist whirl 14 and consequently also the spindles are
suitably turned slowly backwards.
The mode of working of the whole apparatus during one movement of the
carriage is as follows:-
At the commencement of the movement of the carriage, the carriage D, which
carries the spindles, stands close to the roller 16, Figure 2, the belts are on the
loose sheaves 5 and 12, Figures 1 and 4; the side shaft 17 is constantly revolved
by means of the wheel 15 fixed on the nave of the pulley 5, the intermediate
wheel 43, and the wheel 44 arranged on the side spindle. The constant revolution
of the side shaft may also be brought about by means of special driving mechanism
direct from the roof shafting; in this case, the above named wheels may, of course,
be omitted.
The cam shaft 18, Figures 2 and 5, driven from the side shaft 17 by means of
the wheels 34, 35, 36, Figure 4, then makes a half revolution, and the following
parts come at the same time into action.
The belt belonging to the gear wheel B passes from the loose sheave 5 on to 4,
but remains, however, so far over 5 as to maintain the side shaft in motion. The
belt belonging to the gear wheel C passes from the loose sheave 12 on to sheave 9.
The carriage clutch 20 and the roving clutch 19 become coupled, and the clutch 21
of the bevel gearing and the counter clutch 22 also become coupled.
The carriage is now set in motion, the regulating wheel 6 revolves at its slowest
pace and causes the carriage to move at its most rapid initial speed driven by the
carriage-guide-shaft W which traverses the whole length of the machine, and is
connected at its ends and in the middle with cords which run over equal worms,
with the carriage. The connection of the main shaft with the carriage-guide-shaft
is made by means of the driving wheel 8, and is further transferred from this latter
to the intermediate wheel 23, Figure 6, wheel 24 with change wheel 25 and inter-
mediate wheel 26 which engages with the wheel 27 arranged on the bush of the
half of the coupling 20.
It is
Simultaneously with the carriage, the roller 16 also commences to move.
also driven from the main shaft by means of wheel 8; the further transmission
takes place by means of the intermediate wheel 23, wheel 24, which, in this case,
only acts as a conveyor, wheels 28 and 29, with the change wheel 30 which engages
with the wheel 31 arranged on the half of the cylinder coupling 19.
With the movement of the carriage, the spindles commence simultaneously to
revolve individually, and indeed, in consequence of the connection herein before
explained of the two differential gearings, with their slowest speed of revolution.
By the action of the belt-cone gear 38, 39, on the regulating wheel 6, the
revolution of the latter is constantly accelerated, and thereby the movement of the
carriage and the rollers increasingly retarded, whilst the speed of the spindles
increases in reversed proportion. After the roller has been disengaged by means
of known mechanism, the actual tension of the roving takes place.
Shortly before the carriage reaches the end of its travel, the second half
revolution of the guide spindle 18 is completed in the usual known manner; the
clutches 20, 21 and 22 are thereby uncoupled, the one driving belt of disc 4 is
turned on to the loose pulley 5, and the weight 45 draws the belt guide 32 back
into its original position. The coupling of the drawing in brake is also released
but is held fast in the usual known manner until the completion of the backing off.
For this latter purpose, namely, the backing off, the coupling 51 is also
simultaneously engaged by means of the reversing, so that the regulating wheel 6
is now set in even revolution by means of the wheels 46, 47, 48, from the side
shaft 17.
This rotation at first has no other action than that the wheel 4, arranged loosely

page_text: on the bush 1, is thereby suitably revolved by means of the circumferential
wheels 7 and 7 travelling on the now stationary wheel 2. On the other hand, the
bush 1 itself, together with the bevel wheel 3 placed thereon, remains entirely
stationary as the belt is running over the loose pulley 5.
The belt driving pulley 9, on the other hand, still runs on this pulley, and, owing
to this combined action of the driving mechanism of the differential gearing C, and
the stationary condition of the wheel 3, which engages with the circumferential
wheels 10 and 10%, the main shaft then turns, together with the twist whirl 14,
with double speed according to the well known laws of differential gearing, and
further the spindles, by means of the twist whirl. The twisting of the threads
then takes place.
When the latter is completed, the reverse movement of the spindles, or the so
called backing off, takes place. This is brought about in the following manner: —
In the reversing movement, the coupling 51, as already state 1, is engaged, and
thereby the regulating wheel 6 is set in even rotation. Before the carriage reiches
its end point, the fork 72 Figures 1º, 2º and 7, presses against the elbow lever 53;
this latter is connected, by means of drawbar 54, with the crank arm 58, fixed on
the rocking shaft 67. On this shaft 67, a bush is arranged, having an arm 59 cast
on to it, and two arms 68" and 68b, Figure 8, are also fixed on the bush. The two
catches 61 and 61° are also movably arranged on the shaft. These catches are
pressed on the arms 68 and 68 by means of springs 69, this is done in order to
impart elasticity to the catches.
Besides the catches, the two arms 63 and 63° are fixed on the shaft and have
cams 62 and 62° projecting sideways from them, which in part rest against the
catches and are to lift the same.
Through the pressure of the fork 72, the draw-bar 54 is pushed backwards, and
the shaft 67 with the two arms 63" and 63b turned back; the cams are thereby
removed from the catches, but these latter are still held back during the twisting
by means of a drop catch 57, which engages a projection cast on the lever arm 59.
When the revolution is completed, the belt guide R belonging to the pulleys 9
and 12 is released in the usual manner. The drop catch 57 is thereby released by
means of the arm 55 fixed on the shaft 70 of the belt guide, and the slide 56 with
inclined lifting surface, Figure 8, arranged thereon, so that the catches 61 and 61°
are entirely freed, and, by means of the spring 71, Figure 2B, are caused to engage
with the teeth 4 and 9ª, formed on the discs 4 and 9. Both discs are thereby held
fast, whilst the regulating wheel 6 now acts as a driving wheel. The travelling of
the circumferential wheels 7a 7b on the inner ring of teeth of the stationary disc 4
causes a turning back of the main shaft A and, therefore, also of the spindles with
the retardation necessitated by the differential gearing B. The bevel wheels 10ª
and 10 belonging to the gearing C thereupon act, as the disc 9 is stationary, only
as transmitting media.
At
As shown in Figures 9 and 10, Sheet 7, the fork 72 is attached to an arm 74
turning on the axis 75, and is connected by means of a drawbar 78 with the lever 73
which in its turn is connected by means of the arm 83 with the faller arm 84.
the commencement of the backward movement of the spindles, the worm 77 which
is on the shaft 80 in the centre part of the carriage winds up the chain 76 attached
to the faller arm and thus draws the faller downwards. The lever 73 is thereby
raised so much that it rises with its lower edge over the roller 82 which is attached
to the draw lever 79. At this moment by the action of the spring 81, the lever 74
with the fork 72 is forced to move outwards on its axis 75. The extent of this
outward movement is limited by the catch 73. By this outward movement of the
arm 74, the fork 72 is elevated with it and thereby the lever 52 turned in such a
way that the drawbar 54 is again pushed back, and the parts 61° and 61° are again
released from the teeth 4" and 9. The backing off is thus completed.
Simultaneously, the drawing-in-brake-guard is drawn away in the usual manner,
the drawing in cone is engaged and the inward journey of the carriage takes place,
and the winding on of the threads during the same, in the usual manner.

page_text: Shortly before the arrival of the carriage at the cylinder, the belt which drives
the spindles is shifted from the loose pulley 12 to the pulley 9, so that it is in a
position to set the spindles in motion before the second belt is engaged. The
winding on of the threads is thereby completed, but, at the same time, a somewhat
sharper twisting is also given to the roving after the reversing movement, which
now immediately takes place.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of the said inven-
tion, and in what manner the same is to be performed, as communicated to me
by my foreign correspondent, I declare that what I claim is :-
1. A self acting mule for spinning, in which a regular retardation of the outward
movement of the carriage, and an acceleration, in reverse proportion thereto, of the
spindles, is produced by a differential gearing B or C being inserted both in the
driving mechanism for the outward motion of the carriage and supply of roving, as
well as in the spindle driving gear, which is independent of the other, both of which
differential gearings are arranged on the main shaft A, and are connected with one
another (for instance, by means of wheel 3) in such a way that, by means of an
even acceleration of the common regulating wheel 6, a retardation is caused of the
wheel 2, of the one differential gearing B which influences the movement of the
carriage, and, simultaneously, an acceleration of the wheel 11, of the other
differential gearing, coupled on the same axis as the twist whirl, in reverse propor-
tion to the above named retardation, all substantially as hereinbefore described and
shown.
2. In a mule such as described in Claim 1, the even acceleration of the
regulating wheel 6 by means of a belt-cone gear 38, 39, engaging at the commence-
ment of the outward movement of the carriage, and disengaging at the end of the
same.
3. A self acting mule such as described in Claim 1, in which the backing off of
the threads from the point of the spindle, before the winding on, is effected by
means of differential gearing B and C arranged on the main shaft A in such a way
that, after the driving wheels 4 and 9 have been locked by the combined action of
the regulating wheel 6 of the differential gearing B belonging thereto, evenly
operated from the side shaft 17, and the wheels of the differential gear which then
only act as carriers, the main shaft A, together with the twist whirl 14, is given a
return motion, substantially as described.
Dated this 18th day of April 1893.
WM. P. THOMPSON & Co.,
Agents for the Applicant.