IMPROVEMENTS IN MULES FOR SPINNING WOOL, COTTON, AND OTHER FIBRES
Year: 1881

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Thomas Howard Blamires, of Huddersfield, in the
County of York, Woollen Spinner and Manufacturor, for an Invention of
"IMPROVEMENTS IN MULES FOR SPINNING WOOL, COTTON, AND OTHER
FIBRES."
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Thomas Howard Blamires
at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents on the 26th September
1881.
THOMAS HOWARD BLAMIRES, of Huddersfield, in the County of York, Woollen
Spinner and Manufacturer. "IMPROVEMENTS IN MULES FOR SPINNING WOOL,
COTTON, AND OTHER FIBRES."
P
This Invention has special reference to that scroll employed in drawing the
roving or slubbing into yarn in self acting spinning and twisting mules, but is
also applicable to band mules, and the object of the Invention is to lessen the size
of the said drawing scroll and to dispense with what is technically called the back
scroll band.
For this purpose I employ an adjustable brake consisting of leather, steel, or
other suitable material, placed around a grooved pulley attached either to the
scroll or the scroll wheel, which brake puts upon the scroll the necessary amount
of friction or drag required to keep the drawing rope tight when the mule is
winding up and to prevent the drawing rope running back when the driving
wheels are disengaged. The brake can be arranged so that it is applied during
the time of both winding in and out, or it may be applied only when winding in.
Instead of employing a brake consisting of leather, steel, or other material, a
weighted cord may be used and wound around the brake pulley.
By reducing the diameter of scroll the mule is better adapted for spinning and
twisting all kinds of yarn as the drawing rope is taken up and delivered more
uniformly than by a scroll of large diameter as at present employed.
In some cases a double scroll is used, but with the application of my Invention
a double scroll will not be required.

page_text: SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent filed by
the said Thomas Howard Blamires in the Great Seal Patent Office on the
25th March 1882.
THOMAS HOWARD Blamires, of Huddersfield, in the County of York, Woollen
Spinner and Manufacturer. "IMPROVEMENTS IN MULES FOR SPINNING WOOL
AND OTHER FIBRES."
This Invention has special reference to that scroll employed in drawing the
roving or slubbing into yarn in self acting spinning and twisting mules, but is
also applicable to hand mules, and the object of the Invention is to lessen the size
of the said drawing scroll and to dispense with what is technically called the back
scroll or return band. For this purpose I employ an adjustable brake consisting
of leather, steel, or other suitable material placed around a grooved pulley attached
either to the scroll or the scroll wheel, or other suitable place which controls the
scroll, such brake putting upon the scroll the necessary amount of friction or drag
required to keep the drawing rope tight when the mule is winding out, and to
prevent the drawing rope running back when the driving wheels are disengaged.
The brake can be arranged-so-that.it.is applied during the time of both winding
in and out, or it may be applied only when winding in. Instead-of-employing
a brake consisting of leather, steel, or other material, a weighted. cord may be used
and wound around the brake pulley.
In order that my Invention may be better understood I herein give reference to
the accompanying Sheets of Drawings illustrative thereof, and as the construction
of the mule headstocks are varied by each machine maker, I have shewn my
improved scroll and brake applied to the machines of several makers, the principlo
however in all cases being the same, only the mode of application being different,
the first headstock described being made by Schofield and Kirk, of Huddersfield.
Fig. 1 is a front view, and Fig. 2 an end view thereof. A is the main driving
shaft carrying a pinion B, which through the intervention of the wheels C, D,
and E, drives the wheel F keyed on the same shaft as my improved brake and
drawing scroll G. In connection with the said scroll is a grooved brake pulley H
in contact with brake strap I, one end of which is fixed to the frame at J, the
other end being attached to the bracket K, fixed on the sliding knocking off rod L.
Fig. 3 is a Drawing of the knocking off rod detached, and Fig. 4 is a detail of the
brake pulley and strap. It will be seen and easily understood by all practical
spinners that when the carriage M has returned home that the part N would come
into contact with the projection P on the knocking off rod, moving it in the
direction of the arrow R, thereby tightening the brake, and at same time
disengaging the driving wheel E from the scroll wheel F, the pressure of the break
entirely preventing the drawing rope running back. When this is done the
curriage commences to wind out for the purpose of drawing and spinning the fibre,
the small diameter of scroll which I am enabled to employ allowing the carriage
to return evenly and steadily and without the jerk occassioned by large scrolls at
present employed. When the carriage travels the extent of its outward movement
the part N comes into contact with the lever S, pulling the knocking off rod in the
opposite direction, placing the wheel E into gear with the wheel F, and at the
same time slackening the break and allowing the band to be wound onto the scroll
in the same even and steady manner in which it was unwound.
I will now proceed to shew my improvements applied to a headstock made by
Tatham, of Rochdale, Fig. 5 being front view, and Fig. 6 end view thereof. In
this case the scroll shaft Å revolves loosely in bushes B and C, the bush C being
caused to revolve by spur wheel D from the inain driving shaft E. On the bush C
is keyed one half of a clutch box capable of sliding endwise thereon by forked
lever F and catching into the other half of a clutch formed on the wheel G

page_text: and shown more clearly in Fig. 7. As in the previous case the break I is held
rigid to the frame at J, the other end being connected to an adjustable thumb
screw to a lever K. A sliding bar L is arranged across the frame of the headstock,
having a lever M and antifriction bowl N.
The action of this construction of apparatus is as follows:-
When the carriage returns home a cam on the cam shaft comes into contact with
the bowl N, sliding the lever in the direction of the arrow, removing the clutch
out of gear and applying the brake so as to prevent the drawing rope running
back. The spiral spring shewn in dotted lines behind the sliding bar in the
opposite direction, relieving the brake and engaging the clutch for the purpose of
winding in again.
Instead of having the brake strap rigid at one end and moveable at the other,
as in the cases described, both ends of the strap may be rigid, as shewn in Fig. 8
(Sheet 2); in this case adjustable thumb screws W are employed so as to regulate
the amount of pressure. In Sheet 3, Figs. 9 and 10, I have shewn the application
of my improvements to a headstock as made by William Whiteley and Sons,
of Lockwood, near Huddersfield, where the brake strap is fixed at both ends as
shewn at J and K, or the brake strap or band could pass around the grooved pulley,
as shewn in Fig. 11.
It will thus be observed by those conversant with the trade that by the use of
my improvements, where only one scroll is used, the back or return scroll band is
dispensed with, or where two scrolls or a double scroll is used, one for the return
band and the other for the draw band, such as those made by Platt Bros., of
Oldham, and Curtus and Co., of Manchester, one scroll is done away with.
The size of the scroll can be made less, and there is considerable advantage in
reducing the size of the scroll, as the winding and unwinding of the drawing band
is done more steadily than could possibly be done by the large and heavy scrolls
now used. I am also enabled to bring the scroll from the back or inside of mule
to the front, and there is great advantage in this, as the spinner can get to it more
readily to make alterations in packing and changing the scroll necessary for
drawing the yarn; the scroll can also be more easily changed, and where two
scrolls or a double scroll has been used, one of them is dispensed with and
consequently the back or return band, by which means the cost in the said
bands are reduced. The headstocks are also simplified as the amount of gearing
is lessened.
Having now fully described my Invention, and shewn by Drawings how the
same is to be performed or carried into practice, I would have it understood that
I do not confine myself to the exact details herein shewn and described, as they
may be somewhat varied without departing from the essential features thereof,
but what I consider new and therefore claim as my Invention is,-
Firstly. The employment of apparatus whereby the return or back scroll band
is dispensed with, thus enabling me to adapt the scroll and brake in the various
forms and arrangements herein shewn and described.
Secondly. The combined use of the brake (or a weighted cord) and yarn
drawing scroll in the manner and for the purpose, substantially as herein shewn
and described.
In witness whereof, T, the said Thomas Howard Blamires, have hercunto set
my hand and seal, this Eighteenth day of March, in the year of our Lord
THOMAS HOWARD BLAMIRES. (L.S.)