IMPROVEMENTS APPLI- CABLE TO SPINNING MULES AND THROSTLES
Year: 1865

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Edward Williams and Thomas Williams, of the
Victoria Mills, Miles-Platting, near Manchester, in the County of
Lancaster, Cotton Spinners, for the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS APPLI-
CABLE TO SPINNING MULES AND THROSTLES."
Sealed the 4th July 1865, and dated the 6th February 1865.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION [left by the said Edward Williams and
Thomas Williams, at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with
their Petition, on the 6th February 1865.
We, EDWARD WILLIAMS and THOMAS WILLIAMS, of the Victoria Mills,
Miles-Platting, near Manchester, in the County of Lancaster, Cotton Spinners,
do hereby declare the nature of the said Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS
APPLICABLE TO SPINNING MULES AND THROSTLES," to be as follows:-
This Invention relates to the prevention of the "hard ends" of cotton from.
lapping on with the "crow waste" on to the "crow," "clearer," or "gatherer"
in spinning mules and throstles, the said "crow,"
," "clearer," or "gatherer"
consisting of a covered roller working underneath the front fluted roller of
spinning mules and throstles, and actuated. or turned at precisely the same
speed, but in a contrary direction to the said front fluted roller, by being in
frictional contact with it, which "crow," "clearer," or "gatherer" is. used
for the purpose of gathering up any waste which may be formed, and which.
would otherwise wrap round the front fluted roller; and this Invention
consists in the employment and use of a band composed of strands of cotton,
wool, or any other suitable fibrous material, (or of an iron, brass, or other
suitable metallic rod or hollow tube covered with a fibrous material,) being.

page_text: mounted in suitable bearings in front of and parallel with the said "crow,"
"clearer," or "gatherer," by preference rather lower than and about half an
inch apart from the said "crow," "clearer," or "gatherer," which band, rod,
or hollow tube is caused to revolve about three times faster than the front
fluted roller, by being geared to or driven by a band or strap from the driving
shaft, or other shaft which would produce the required speed.
The action of this revolving band, rod, or hollow tube may be thus
described :--When the yarn breaks between the delivery rollers and the
spindle points, the end of yarn which is being delivered by the front fluted
roller immediately drops down and is instantly taken up and wound round
the revolving band, rod, or hollow tube, and broken off close by the front fluted
roller, instead of being wound upon the "crow," "clearer," or "gatherer,"
as has hitherto been the case.
"
Without the use of the revolving band, rod, or hollow tube, the "crow
waste was depreciated in value to a considerable extent in consequence of
the "hard ends" being mixed up with the "crow waste" upon the "crow"
"clearer" or "gatherer," whereas, by this Invention, the "hard ends" are
gathered upon the revolving band, rod, or hollow tube, and the "crow waste"
is kept perfectly clear from "hard ends."
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent, filed
by the said Edward Williams and Thomas Williams in the Great Seal
Patent Office on the 5th August 1865.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, we, EDWARD;
WILLIAMS and THOMAS WILLIAMS, of the Victoria Mills, Miles-Platting, near.
Manchester, in the County of Lancaster, Cotton Spinners, send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her Letters
Patent, bearing date the Sixth day of February, in the year of our Lord
One thousand eight hundred and sixty-five, in the twenty-ninth year of Her
reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give and grant unto us,.
the said Edward Williams and Thomas Williams, Her special license that we,
the said Edward Williams and Thomas Williams, our executors, administrators,.
and assigns, or such others as we, the said Edward Williams and Thomas.
Williams, our 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

page_text: Channel Islands, and Isle of Man, an Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS APPLICABLE
TO SPINNING MULES AND THROSTLES," upon the condition, (amongst others) that
we, the said Edward Williams and Thomas Williams, our executors or
administrators, by an instrument in writing under our, 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 we, Edward Williams, junior, and the said
Thomas Williams, 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 statement:-
This Invention relates to the prevention of the "hard ends" of cotton from
lapping on with the "crow waste" on to the "crow,"
,""under clearer," or
"gatherer," in spinning mules and throstles, the said " crow, ""under clearer,"
or "gatherer" consisting of a covered roller working underneath the front
fluted roller of spinning mules and throstles, and actuated or turned at
precisely the same speed, but in a contrary direction to the said front fluted
roller, by being in frictional contact with it, which "crow," "under clearer,"
or "gatherer" is used for the purpose of gathering up any waste which may
be formed, and which would otherwise wrap round the front fluted roller..
And this Invention consists in the employment and use of a band composed of
strands" of cotton, wool, or of any other suitable fibrous material (or of an
iron, brass, or other suitable metallic rod or hollow tube, by preference covered
with a fibrous material,) being mounted in suitable bearings in front of and
parallel with the said "crow," "under clearer," or " gatherer," by preference
rather lower than and about half an inch from the said crow," "under
clearer," or "gatherer," which band, rod, or hollow tube is caused to revolve
about three times faster than the front fluted roller by being geared to or
driven by a band or strap from the driving shaft (or other shaft which would
produce the required speed).
The action of this revolving band, rod, or hollow tube may be thus
described:-When the yarn breaks between the delivery rollers and the spindle
points, the end of yarn which is being delivered by the front fluted roller
immediately drops down, and is instantly taken up and wound round the
revolving band, rod, or hollow tube, and broken off close by the front fluted
roller instead of being wound upon the " crow, ,""under clearer," or " gatherer,"
as has hitherto been the case.

page_text: "
Without the use of the revolving band, rod, or hollow tube the "crow
waste was depreciated in value to a considerable extent in consequence of
the "hard ends" being mixed up with the "crow waste upon the "crow,"
"under clearer," or "gatherer," whereas by this Invention the "hard ends"
are gathered upon the revolving band, rod, or hollow tube, and the "crow
waste" is kept perfectly clear from "hard ends."
That this Invention may be the more readily seen and understood; we have
hereunto annexed a Drawing, illustrating so much of a spinning mule as is
necessary to exhibit the application of our improvements, similar letters
marked thereon being used to denote similar parts.
Fig. 1 is an end elevational view, and Fig. 2 is a front elevational view of
a spinning mule having our improvements applied thereto.
A represents the mule or wheel end supporting the creel end B and creel C;
D are the roving bobbins; and E, the rovings passing to the delivery rollers;
F is the roller stand, in which the top roller G and front fluted roller H are
mounted, I being the clearers, and J the crows, under clearers, or gatherers;
K is the carriage (L being the carriage end), mounted upon the wheels M,
which travels upon the slip N; and O is the faller stand, secured to the
carriage, which faller stands support the faller shaft P and the under faller
shaft Q, R representing the under faller sickle. The spindles S revolve in the
step rail T and bolster rail; U and V are the cops, W is a band, composed
of strands of cotton, wool, or of any other suitable fibrous material, or an iron,
brass, or other suitable metallic rod or hollow tube, by preference covered
with a fibrous material, which band, rod, or hollow tube revolves in the con-
trary direction to the crows, under clearers, or gatherers J by being mounted
in suitable bearings, brackets, or stands ✗, and having motion imparted
thereto by a band, tape, or strap from the driving shaft (or any other shaft
which would produce the necessary speed) passing round the pulley Y,
revolving in the pulley stand Z; or it may be actuated by spur gearing or in
any other manner which would cause the said band, rod, or hollow tube to
revolve about three times faster and in the same direction as the front fluted
roller; and in order to prevent any undue vibration where a band is used, it
is preferred to pass the said band through short lengths of metallic tube a, or
through wires mounted upon the roller beam, and located at intervals along
the said roller beam.
The action of the band, rod, or hollow tube which we prefer to call the
"hard end catcher " is as follows:-When the thread of yarn breaks between
the delivery rollers and the spindle points, the end of yarn which is being
delivered by the front fluted roller immediately drops down, and is instantly

page_text: taken up and wound upon the hard end catcher W, and broken off close to
the front fluted roller, and thus the hard ends are effectually prevented from
being wound upon the crows, under clearers, or gatherers, and so depreciating
the value of the crow waste.
Although these improvements are only shewn as applied to a spinning mule,
it will be readily apparent that they are equally applicable in precisely the
same manner to throstles.
Having thus particularly described and ascertained the nature of this.
Invention, and how we believe the same can be best carried into practical
effect, we wish it to be understood that we do not confine ourselves to the
precise details, relative proportions or dimensions herein-before described and
set forth, as it will be readily seen that the same may be considerably varied
without departing from the Invention; but what we do claim is, the use and
application to spinning mules and throstles of a revolving band composed of
strands of cotton, wool, or other suitable fibrous material, or of an iron, brass,
or other suitable metallic rod or hollow tube, by preference covered with
fibrous material, mounted in suitable bearings in front of and parallel with
the crows, under clearers, or gatherers, by preference rather lower than and
about half an inch or more from the said crows, under clearers, or gatherers,
for the purpose herein-before described and set forth, or any mere modification
of the same.
In witness whereof, we, the said Edward Williams, junior, and Thomas
Williams, have hereunto set our hands and affixed our seals, this
Fourth day of August, in the year of our Lord One thousand eight
hundred and sixty-five.
EDWARD WILLIAMS, JUN. (L.S.)
Administrator to the late Edward Williams.
THOMAS WILLIAMS.
(L.S.)
Witnessed,
0
JOHN G. WILSON,
Practical Mechanical Engineer & Patent Agent,
24, Market Place,
Manchester.