IMPROVEMENTS IN TWISTING FIBROUS MATERIALS, AND IN MACHINERY OR APPARATUS EMPLOYED THEREIN
Year: 1858

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Michael Henry, of 84, Fleet Street, in the City of
London, Patent Agent, for the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN TWISTING
FIBROUS MATERIALS, AND IN MACHINERY OR APPARATUS EMPLOYED THEREIN."
A communication from Messieurs F Durand and Pradel
Sealed the 20th May 1859, and dated the 8th December 1858.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Michael Henry at the
Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on the 8th
December 1858.
I, MICHAEL. HENRY, of 84, Fleet Street, in the City of London, Patent
Agent, do hereby declare the nature of the said Invention for "IMPROVE-
MENTS IN TWISTING FIBROUS MATERIALS, AND IN MACHINERY OR APPARATUS
EMPLOYED THEREIN," communicated to me by Messieurs F. Durand and Pradel,.
foreigners residing abroad, to be as follows:-
Hitherto in twisting fibrous materials the yarn or thread has been wound
in twisting it on flyer reels or bobbins. Now, according to the present
Invention, a number of threads or yarns are arranged side by side, employing
as many bobbins mounted on rapidly revolving spindles or appliances as there
are threads or yarns, and on leaving which bobbins the threads or yarns are

page_text: united and twisted; and then, if not to be gassed, are wound on to con-
veniently placed spindles, spools, wheels, rollers, reels, or bobbins; or if to be
gassed, are carried round a roller covered with cloth or suitable material,
collected together in a comb or reed, and caused to pass in fleeces through a
chamber containing the gas, then carried through another comb, and thereby
separated, and finally wound on to reels, rollers, or bobbins, or in hanks, ready
for sale, removal, or use. This mode may be variously applied; thus the
bobbins may be one above another on the same spindle, or side by side on
upright spindles, &c. The fibrous materials may thus be twisted by bringing
on to a reel, roller, or wheel, threads or yarns proceeding from a number of
bobbins arranged on the same spindle, caused to partake of rapid rotary
motion, the twisted threads passing between a cylinder and pressing plate, or
between two twist regulating rollers at top, or beyond. The materials may
thus be at once formed into hanks, gassed and dressed, or glossed, as the
process is going on. A machine may be constructed for carrying the method
into effect, in which a spindle is employed, terminating in or having at top a
cylinder and pressure plate, or two regulating rollers, and carrying two, three,
or more bobbins, so arranged that the threads or yarns with which they are
supplied may be united together between the cylinder and pressure plate, or
between the two regulating rollers.
A peculiar self-acting arrangement is used in which by the application of
centrifugal force any one twisting apparatus or spindle, when there are several
mounted in one machine, may in case of thread from a bobbin breaking be
stopped or thrown out of action without interfering with the others. In such
an arrangement, a moveable thread guide is fitted to a revolving plate or
appliance, through which the thread passes in proceeding from the bobbin, in
such manner as to be held in place by the thread as it goes through, but
released if it breaks, and being thrown outward by centrifugal force, acts
on and stops the wheel on which the twists are being wound, which is formed
with stops or studs, and also with a bolt key or connection, causing it to
partake of the rotation of a shaft on which it is mounted, but not preventing
it from being "loose" thereon when stopped by means of one of its studs.
The Drawing exemplifies a machine constructed according to this Invention,
Fig. 1 being a side elevation of a single twisting appliance with its bobbins,
wheel, and accessories. X is a spindle stepped at a in the frame crossbar b,
and turning in a lubricated bush c, set in cross bar W; it carries a fast
and loose pulley V, and receives from the former rapid rotary motion from
any suitable agent. On the spindle X are mounted two discs or plates Y, Z,

page_text: the former being formed with pins, on which are set bobbins supplied with
thread or yarn to be twisted, which is conducted through orifices in the disc Z
(shewn in plan, Fig. 2,) and by fixed guides e and movable guides ƒ to
between the rollers g, h, and thence wound on to a wheel A, passing united
through an orifice in a rail j.. The rollers g, h, are supported in an adjustable
bearing block C, so fitted to the frame bar B (Fig. 4) that the rollers may be
brought nearer to or further from a tangential direction to the wheel A, as
required. The wheel A (shewn in section, Fig. 3,) is mounted on a revolving
shaft D, carrying as many such wheels A as there are twisting apparatus on
one side of the machine, and each is connected to the shaft D, and caused to
revolve therewith by means of a bolt or connection F forced against it by a
spring on a barrel y, resting at one end on the inner edge of the wheel.
I now proceed to the self-acting centrifugal stop arrangement. The wheel
carries on one side a number of studs G; on a cross beam 7 of the framework
is fitted a hooked slide bar U, which may be moved by lever t, and carries a
rod p, one end of which is connected to a weight S or to a spring fixed to the
frame bar 1, and the other end attached to a bar m, which it raises when
working on its centre. Now, as the guide on the disc Z is held by the
thread itself, when the thread happens to break, it will be released, and (disc
continuing to revolve) it will be thrown outward by centrifugal action, and
protrude beyond the edge (bearing against a stop u), so as to come in contact
with one end of the lever t, cause it to work on its centre k, and move the
hooked bar U, thus releasing the rod p to the action of the weight or spring,
and thereby raising the bar m, which, coming in contact with one of the
studs G, counterbalances the pressure of F, and so stops the wheel A; at the
same time the bottom of the bar m in rising throws the strap which it carries
on to the loose pulley and stops the spindle X, the shaft D still revolving and
carrying with it all the other wheels A which had not been so breaked or
interfered with.
The apparatus represented in and described in reference to the Drawing is
merely one exemplification of the Invention, and I of course do not restrict
myself to the details.
By means of this Invention, the materials being drawn by a regularly
moving roller instead of working bobbins by friction, the twist is far more
regular,

page_text: SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent, filed
by the said Michael Henry in the Great Seal Patent Office on the
8th June 1859.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, MICHAEL
HENRY, of 84, Fleet Street, in the City of London, Patent Agent, send
greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her Letters
Patent, bearing date the Eighth day of December, in the year of our Lord
One thousand eight hundred and fifty-eight, in the twenty-second year of Her
reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give and grant unto me,
the said Michael Henry, Her special license that I, the said Michael Henry, my
executors, administrators, and assigns, or such others as I, the said Michael
Henry, my executors, administrators, and assigns, should at any time agree
with, and no others, from time to time and at all times thereafter during
the term therein expressed, should and lawfully might make, use, exercise;
and vend, within the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland, the
Channel Islands, and Isle of Man, an Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN
TWISTING FIBROUS MATERIALS, AND IN MACHINERY OR APPARATUS EMPLOYED
THEREIN," communicated from Messrs. Durand and Pradel, foreigners residing
abroad, upon the condition (amongst others) that I, the said Michael Henry,
my executors or administrators, by an instrument in writing under my, or
their, or one of their hands and seals, should particularly describe and
ascertain the nature of the said Invention, and in what manner the same
was to be performed, and cause the same to be filed in the Great Seal
Patent Office within six calendar months next and immediately after the date
of the said Letters Patent.
NOW KNOW YE, that I, the said Michael Henry, do hereby declare the
nature of the said Invention, and in what manner the same is to be performed,
to be particularly described and ascertained in and by the following state-
ment thereof, as communicated to me, reference being had to the accom-
panying Drawings, and to the letters and figures marked thereon, that is
to say:-
Hitherto in the twisting of fibrous materials the yarn or thread has been
wound while twisting it on to flyer reels or bobbins. Now, according to the
present Invention, a number of threads or yarns are arranged side by side, as
many bobbins being employed as there are threads or yarns, which bobbins
are mounted on rapidly revolving spindles or appliances; and on leaving these

page_text: another on the same axis (as
bobbins the threads or yarns are united and twisted, and then if not to be
gassed, are wound on to conveniently placed spindles, spools, wheels, rollers,
recls, or bobbins; or if to be gassed are carried round a roller covered with
cloth or suitable material collected together in a comb or reed, and caused to
pass in fleeces through a chamber containing the gas, then carried through
another comb, and thereby separated, and finally wound on to reels or bobbins,
or into hanks ready for removal, sale, or use. This mode may be variously
applied; thus the bobbins may be one above
when twisting the threads of bobbins for winding off), or side by side on
upright axes (as when twisting the threads of bobbins for spinning off). The
fibrous materials may thus be twisted by bringing on to a reel, roller, or wheel,
threads or yarns proceeding from a number of bobbins arranged on the same
spindle, caused to partake of rapid rotary motion, the twisted threads passing
between a cylinder and pressing plate, or between two twist regulating rollers
at top or beyond. The fibrous materials may thus be at once formed into
hanks, gassed, dressed, or glossed, as the process is going on.
For carrying the method into effect, a machine may be constructed, in which
a spindle is employed above or at the end of which are situated a cylinder and
pressure plate, or two regulating rollers, and which spindle carries two, three,
or more bobbins, so arranged that the threads or yarns with which they are
supplied, may be united together between the cylinder and pressure plate, or
between the two regulating rollers.
A peculiar self-acting arrangement is used in which, by the application of
centrifugal force, any one twisting apparatus or spindle, when there are several
mounted in one machine, may, in case of the thread from a bobbin breaking,
be stopped or thrown out of action without interfering with the others. In
such an arrangement a moveable thread guide is fitted to a revolving plate or
appliance, through which the thread passes in proceeding from the bobbin,
in such manner as to be held in place by the thread as it goes through, but
released if it breaks, and being thrown outward by centrifugal force, acts on
and stops the wheel on which the twisted threads or yarns are being wound,
such wheel being formed with stops or studs, and also with a bolt, key, or
connection, causing it to partake of the rotation of a shaft on which it is
mounted, but not preventing it from being loose thereon when stopped by
means of one of its studs.
The Drawings exemplify an apparatus constructed according to this
Invention, a number of which may be combined in one machine driven by
the same motor.

page_text: Figure 1 is a side elevation of a single twisting apparatus, or plate and
spindle, with its bobbins, wheel, and appurtenances. X is a spindle, stepped at a
in a cross bar of the frame, and turning in a lubricated bush c, set in another
cross bar W; it carries fast and loose pullies V, and receives from the former
rapid rotary motion, communicated by any suitable agent. On the spindle X
are mounted two dises or plates Y, Z, the former of which is formed with pins,
on which are set bobbins supplied with the threads or yarns to be twisted,
which are conducted through a corresponding number of orifices in the upper
dise Z, shown in plan Figure 2, and are then led by fixed guides e and
moveable guides f to between the rollers g, h, and thence wound on to a
wheel A, passing united through an orifice in a rail j; the rollers g, h, are
supported in an adjustable bearing block C, so fitted to the frame bar B, as
shewn in Figure 4, that the rollers may be brought nearer to or further from
a tangential direction to the wheel A, as required. The wheel A (which is
the wheel on which the completed twists are wound, and is shown in section
Figure 3, is mounted on a revolving shaft D, which shaft carries as many
such wheels A as there are twisting apparatuses on one side of the machine;
each wheel A is connected to the shaft D, and caused to revolve therewith by
means of a key bolt or connection F forced against it by a spring a on a
barrel y, resting at one end on the inner edge of the wheel.
I now proceed to describe the centrifugal self-acting stop arrangement.
The wheel carries on one side a number of studs G at a suitable distance
between the centre and the circumference. On a cross beam q of the frame-
work is fitted a hooked slide bar U, so arranged that it may be moved by a
levert from the position shown in continuous lines to that indicated in dotted
lines; this bar U holds a rod p, one end of which is connected to a weight S,
or to a spring fixed to the frame bar 7, and the other end is attached to a
bar m, which it raises when it works on its centre i. Now as the guide fon
the disc Z is held by the thread itself, the guide will be released when the
thread happens to break, but the disc still continuing to revolve, the guide
will be thrown outward by centrifugal action, and protrude beyond the edge
of the disc, as shewn in red lines Figure 2, bearing against a stop u, and will
thus come in contact with one end of the lever t, which it will move along
with it, and cause: it to work on its centre k, and move the hooked bar U,
thus lifting the spring or weight S freeing the rod p from the bar U and
releasing it to the action of the weight or spring, and thereby raising the bar m,
which coming in contact with one of the studs G, counterbalances the pressure
of the pin F, and so stops the wheel A; at the same time the bottom of the

page_text: bar m in rising throws the strap which it carries on to the loose pulley, and
stops the spindle X, the shaft D still revolving and carrying with it all the other
wheels A, which had not been so interfered with or thrown out of action by
the bar m. The rotation imparted to the shaft. D must of course be so
calculated as to allow of the wheels A drawing the twisted threads towards
theni, and winding the same on them as regularly and properly as may be.
By the mode of twisting, according to this Invention, in which the threads
are drawn on to a regularly moving roller, instead of the old mode of working
bobbins by friction, more regular twists are produced.
The apparatus represented in and described in reference to the Drawings is
an exemplification of the mode of performing the Invention, and of course
I do not restrict myself to the exact details.
My method is applicable to fibrous materials generally, and my machinery
may be worked at very considerable speeds without danger to the threads
breaking. And the threads may be wound on to reels, &c., or made up into
bobbins, skeins, banks, &c., in a regular manner, and may be gassed as before
stated in the course of the operation, and at once wound off into hanks, &c.
And having now described the nature of the said Invention, and in what
manner the same may be performed, I declare that I claim,―
First, the mode of twisting fibrous materials by bringing threads or yarns
on to a reel, roller, spool, or wheel from off a number of bobbins arrangod on
the same rapidly revolving spindle, the twisted threads or yarns passing between
a cylinder and pressure plate, or between two twist regulating rollers at the
upper part, and in such manner also that if desired they may be gassed, glossed,
or dressed during the progress of the operation.
Second, the general arrangement and combination of parts, and mode of
action of twisting apparatus, consisting of a spindle, above or at the end of
which are situated a cylinder and pressure plate, or two twist regulating rollers,
and which spindle carries two or more bobbins so arranged that their threads
or yarns may be united between the cylinder and pressure plate or between the
regulating rollers.
Third, the method of action and combination of parts of centrifugal self-acting
stop arrangement herein-before described, in which a thread guide, held in
place by the thread or yarn itself as it passes, is released when such thread or
yarn happens to break, and is thrown outward by the centrifugal action of the
revolving twisting appliance, and in which also the wheel, roller, or recl on
which the thread is being wound is provided with a key or bolt, and a stud or
stop, the former causing it to partake of the rotary motion of the shaft on

page_text: which it is carried, but not preventing its being loose thereon when disconnected
or disengaged by the stud or stop.
Fourth, the application of centrifugal force for effecting the self-acting
stoppage, throwing out of action or disconnecting of the twisting apparatus of
throwing or twisting machinery."
Fifth, the general arrangement and combination of parts of twisting
machinery herein-before described.
In witness whereof, I, the said Michael Henry, have hereunto set my
hand and seal, this Eighth day of June, in the year One thousand
eight hundred and fifty-nine.
Witness,
S. E. A. NEWSOME,
Office for Patents,
84, Fleet Street, London.
M. HENRY. (L.S.)