IMPROVEMENTS IN MACHINERY OR APPARATUS FOR SPINNING FIBROUS. MATERIALS
Year: 1861

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Alexander Edward and James Edward, of Dundee,.
in the County of Forfar, North Britain, Spinners, for the Invention of
"IMPROVEMENTS IN MACHINERY OR APPARATUS FOR SPINNING FIBROUS.
MATERIALS."
Sealed the 27th June 1862, and dated the 31st December 1861.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Alexander Edward and
James Edward at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with their
Petition, on the 31st December 1861.
We, ALEXANDER EDWARD and JAMES EDWARD, of Dundee, in the County of
Forfar, North Britain, Spinners, do hereby declare the nature of the said
Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN MACHINERY OR APPARATUS FOR SPINNING FIBROUS
MATERIALS," to be as follows, that is to say:-
This Invention relates to the arrangement and construction of the machinery
used for the purpose of spinning and twisting flax, tow, jute, aud other yarns
to be used as weft, or other generally similar purpose. The framing of the
machine consists of the ordinary end standards or gables, connected by trans-
verse rails. The spindles are made longer than those in ordinary use, they
are carried in footstep and collar bearings arranged in two stationary parallel
rails in the usual way. The upper part of the spindles passes through the
moveable rail or lifter, which is carried on sliding rods, they are caused to
descend as the yarn is wound on to the pirn. The spindles are driven in the

page_text: usual way by means of endless bands carried round pulleys or wharves on the
lower part of the spindles. At the part where each spindle passes through
the lifter there is fitted in the moveable rail a neck brass or additional collar
bearing, which is screwed into the lifter, and on this neck brass the pirn rests.
This additional bearing serves to steady the upper part of the spindles and
prevent vibration during the rapid rotatory movement which is imparted to
them in spinning. Behind the spindles, and in a plane above the lifter, is
arranged a longitudinal rail, which rests upon slide brackets. These brackets
have at the lower part of each a rack, which is actuated by means of a pinion
arranged opposite thereto on a horizontal shaft, which is driven from the
upper gearing of the machine. The moveable longitudinal rail has a pair of
brackets bolted to its upper face, which carry a horizontal shaft, having fitted
to it a pair of heart wheels. The peripheries of these wheels bear upon pulleys
carried in the backward ends of two levers, which are centred on a bracket
piece fixed in the traversing rail. This lever is connected by a link to the
lifter so that the motion of the heart wheel communicates a short vertical
traverse thereto, and in this way builds up the cone of the pirn. The yarn
is carried down from the rollers, and is taken up by the pirn, and as the
building of the cone proceeds, the moveable rail slowly descends until the pirn
is completely formed and ready to be placed in the shuttle, a proper arrange-
ment is provided for obtaining a uniform uptake or winding on of the yarn
on to the pirn. A bent arm or elbow piece is fixed to the moveable rail, the
laterally projecting part of which extends towards the lifter. In the extre-
mity of this arm is fitted a slotted end piece, through which passes a curved
lever, this lever is suspended from a stud carried loosely in a bracket that is
bolted to the lifter. The inner extremity of the stud just referred to is con-
nected to a tumbler, which is fitted to an eye plate made to slide to and fro a
short distance on the lifter, a series of eyes are formed on this traversing plate
through which the friction bands that are fastened to the back of the lifter
pass. These friction bands are passed into one of a series of notches formed at
the front part of the lifter, and each one presses with more or less force against
the side of the pirn, as the lifter rises and falls by the motion of the heart
wheels it communicates, by means of the curved lever connected by the tumbler
to the eye plate a lateral movement thereto. This lateral movement varies
the tension or drag of the friction bands on the pirns, in accordance with the
varying diameter of the cone of the pirn. After each doffing the inoveable
rail and the lifter are raised to the extremity of their traverse by turning a
hand wheel fitted on one extremity of the pinion shaft, which actuates the
moveable rail.

page_text: This arrangement of mechanism is applicable to frames for spinning fibrous
materials in the wet or dry state, and at the same time without interfering
with the utility of the machine for spinning warp yarns on the ordinary bobbins
when required.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent, filed
by the said Alexander Edward and James Edward in the Great Seal
Patent Office on the 30th June 1862.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, we, ALEXANDER
EDWARD and JAMES EDWARD, of Dundee, in the County of Forfar, North
Britain, Spinners, send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her Letters
Patent, bearing date the Thirty-first day of December, in the year of our
Lord One thousand eight hundred and sixty-one, in the twenty-fifth year of
Her reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give and grant unto
us, the said Alexander Edward and James Edward, Her special license that
we, the said Alexander Edward and James Edward, our executors, adminis-
trators, and assigns, or such others as we, the said Alexander Edward and
James Edward, executors, administrators, or 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 IM MACHINERY OR
APPARATUS FOR SPINNING FIBROUS MATERIALS," upon the condition (amongst
others) that we, the said Alexander Edward and James Edward, our
executors or administrators, by an instrument in writing under our hands
and seals, or under the hand and seal of one of them, 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, the said Alexander Edward and James
Edward, do hereby declare the nature of our said Invention, and in what
manner the same is to be performed, to be particularly described and ascer-
tained in and by the following statement, reference being had to the accom-
panying Drawings, and to the letters and figures marked thereon, that is
to say:

page_text: Our said Invention relates to the arrangement and construction of the
machinery used for the purpose of spinning and twisting flax, tow, jute, and
other yarns to be used as weft, or other generally similar purpose. The
framing of the machine consists of the ordinary end standards or gables
connected by longitudinal rails. The spindles are made longer than those in
ordinary use; they are carried in footstep and collar bearings, arranged in
two stationary parallel rails in the usual way. The upper part of the spindles
pass through the moveable rail or lifter, which is carried on sliding rods that
are caused to descend as the yarn is wound on to the pirn. The spindles are
driven in the usual way by means of endless bands carried round pulleys or
wharves on the lower part of the spindles. At the part where each spindle
passes through the lifter there is fitted in the moveable rail a neck brass or
additional collar bearing, which is screwed into the lifter, and on this neck
brass the pirn rests. This additional bearing serves to steady the upper part
of the spindles and prevent vibration during the rapid rotatory movement
which is imparted to them in spinning. Behind the spindles and in a plane
above the lifter is arranged a longitudinal rail, which rests upon slide brackets.
These brackets have at the lower part of each a rack, which is actuated by
means of a pinion arranged opposite thereto on a horizontal shaft, which is
driven from the upper gearing of the machine. The moveable longitudinal
rail has a pair of brackets bolted to its upper face, which carry a horizontal
shaft, having fitted to it a pair of heart wheels. The peripheries of these
wheels bear upon pulleys carried in the backward ends of two levers, which
are centred on a bracket piece fixed to the traversing rail. This lever is
connected by a link to a lifter, so that the motion of the heart wheel com-
municates a short vertical traverse thereto, and in this way builds up the cone
of the pirn. The yarn is carried down from the rollers, and is wound by the
flyers on to the pirn, and as the building of the cone proceeds, the moveable
rail slowly descends until the pirn is completely formed, and ready to be
placed in the shuttle. A proper arrangement is provided for obtaining a
uniform up-take or winding-on of the yarn on to the pirn. A bent arm or
elbow-piece is fixed to the moveable rail, the laterally projecting part of which
extends towards the lifter. In the extremity of this arm is fitted a slotted
end piece, through which passes a curved lever; this lever is suspended from
a stud carried loosely in a bracket that is bolted to the lifter. The inner
extremity of the stud just referred to is connected to a tumbler, which is
fitted to an eye plate made to slide to and fro a short distance on the lifter.
A series of eyes are formed on this traversing plate, through which the
friction bands that are fastened to the back of the lifter pass. These friction

page_text: bands are passed into one of a series of notches formed at the front part of
the lifter, and each one presses with more or less force against the side of
the pirn. As the lifter rises and falls by the motion of the heart wheels, it
communicates, by means of the curved lever connected by the tumbler to the
eye plate, a lateral movement thereto. This lateral movement varies the
tension or drag of the friction bands on the pirns in accordance with the
varying diameter of the cone of the pirn. After each doffing, the moveable
rail and the lifter are raised to the extremity of their traverse by turning a
hand wheel fitted on one extremity of the pinion shaft which actuates the
moveable rail.
This arrangement of mechanism is applicable to frames for spinning fibrous
materials in the wet or dry state, and at the same time without interfering
with the utility of the machine for spinning warp yarns on the ordinary bobbins
when required.
And in order that our said Invention of "Improvements in Machinery or
Apparatus for Spinning Fibrous Materials," may be properly understood, we
shall now proceed to describe the several Figures on the accompanying expla-
natory Sheet of Drawings, which we have hereunto appended for the purpose
of showing certain modifications under which our improvements may be
judiciously carried out in practice, that is to say:-
Figure 1 on the accompanying Sheet of Drawings is a front elevation of
a portion of a spinning frame sufficient to show the nature of our improve-
ments; Figure 2 is a corresponding end elevation; and Figure 3 is a plan of
the same.
The framing of the machine consists of the ordinary gables or end
standards A, connected by the longitudinal rails B. In the lower one of
these rails are fitted the footstep bearings of the spindles C, and in the upper
rail are arranged the collar bearings for the same. The spindles C are made
longer than the ordinary kind in order to adapt them to the improved
arrangement of the other parts of the machinery. To the upper end of each
spindle is fitted a flyer D, the legs of which are also made longer than the
ordinary kind. Each spindle passes through the lifter E, and at this part it
is further steadied by means of a collar or neck brass F, which is screwed
into the lifter. These collars F are made with flanges at the upper part, as
shown in Figure 2, and on which the pirns rest. The lifter E is supported
by means of the rods G, which slide up and down in the rails B, the lifter
being actuated by means of a rack-and-pinion movement at the back. The
spindles C are driven in the usual way by means of endless bands which pass
round the wharves C₁ fitted on the spindles below the collar rail B.

page_text: In Figure 1, the lifter E is shown broken asunder, one portion being
delineated in the position it assumes when the pirn is about to be wound, and
the other portion of the lifter shows it in its lowest position with the pirn
fully wound. The pirns H are of the ordinary kind used in weaving flax,
tow, jute, and other generally similar fibrous materials, they are formed with
a turned wooden base fitted on to a tube which fits the spindle C. The
yarn I which is to be wound on the pirns H and to be used as weft, is carried
from the rollers above down through an eye at the upper part of the flyer
D, round one of the legs, and through an eye at the lower part to the pirn.
As the yarn is wound on to the pirns the lifter E is caused to descend slowly
so as to form the cylindrical part of the pirn, and simultaneously with this
movement the lifter has imparted to it a short vertical reciprocatory traverse
which continually builds up the yarn in a conical form on the pirn. The
combined motions resulting in the yarn being wound on the pirn in the
desired form shown in the full pirn delineated in Figure 1. To the inner
faces of the end standards A are bolted the brackets J which form guides
for the sliding brackets K which move up and down in the slots of the
guides. To the lower part of one of the brackets K is bolted a vertical
rack L which is actuated by a pinion M keyed on the horizontal shaft N.
This shaft is carried in bearings fitted in the end standards, and it derives its
motion from the top gearing of the machine. To the brackets K is bolted the
longitudinal rail O, to which are centred two overhanging levers P, the front
extremities of these levers have attached to each a rod Q. These pendent
rods are passed through the eyes of the adjustable arms R which are secured
by pinching screws to the rods G, the rods Q being fastened in like manner
to the arms R. In this way as the shaft N rotates the pinion M causes
the rack L, the rail O, and the parts connected therewith to descend, the down-
ward motion being so regulated as to build up the pirn to the required
diameter. When the pirns are filled and removed from the spindles the
upward movement of the lifter is effected by means of the hand wheel S
keyed on the extremity of the shaft N; this is done whilst the spindles are
being supplied with fresh pirns. The traversing rail O has bolted to its
back part the overhanging brackets T in which are carried the bearings of
the horizontal shaft U which is driven by the gearing of the machine. On
the shaft U is keyed the heart wheel V which acts on a roller carried in the
backward end of the lever P, a corresponding arrangement being fitted at
the other end of the machine. As the shaft U rotates, the heart wheels cause
the levers P to rise and fall and impart a corresponding movement to the
lifter E. The extent of this reciprocatory traverse is equal to the depth of.

page_text: passes
the cone of the pirn, so that the yarn is wound on in the conical form
throughout, the cylindrical portion being due to the gradual descent of the
lifter E. In order to regulate the winding on of the weft and secure a uniform
tension on the yarn, a variable tensional drag movement is attached to the
rail which acts upon the pirns. A laterally projecting arm W is fixed
to the rail O, this arm is bent at right angles as shown in Figure 2, and
carries near its free extremity a boss X, through which is passed the end
of a bent lever Y. This lever is suspended from a loose stud Z, which
through a boss a fixed to the lifter E. The other end of the stud V is con-
nected to the tumbler b, which is secured to the eye plate c, this plate is
connected to the lifter E by screws passing through slots formed in the eye
plate. The rising and falling motion of the lifter imparts, by means of the
curved lever Y, and its connected parts, a slight lateral traverse to the eye
plate. To the back of the lifter are attached a number of strings d, corres-
ponding to the number of spindles, these strings are passed through the eyes
formed in the small upright pieces on the plate c, and are passed round the
flanges of the pirns and connected to the small counterweights e. These
weights suspended from the strings d, cause a certain amount of pressure
or drag to be exerted on the pirns. The reciprocatory movement of the
eye plate causes the strings to press with a varying degree of force so that
the friction on the spindles is greater whilst forming one part of the cone
than another, and this amount of tension is regulated so that the winding of
the weft on to the pirn is uniform throughout.
These improvements are specially adapted for the jute and linen manufac-
ture, but they may also be readily applied to any other kind of spinning frame
used either with dry or wet yarn, the spinning frame is at the same time
equally suitable for spinning warp yarn on to the ordinary bobbins whenever
be required for that purpose. With these improvements the spinning
and winding of yarn is greatly facilitated and economised.
it
may
Having now described and particularly ascertained the nature of our said
Invention, and the manner in which the same is or may be used or carried
into effect, we would observe in conclusion that what we consider novel and
original, and therefore claim as the Invention secured to us by the herein-
before in part recited Letters Patent, is,-
First, the general arrangement, construction, and combination of parts
forming the machinery or apparatus for effecting the several movements in
spinning fibrous materials as herein-before described and shown in the
accompanying Drawings.
Second, the system or mode of arranging spinning frames for spinning the

page_text: yarn on to weaving pirns as well as ordinary bobbins by means of the
mechanical arrangements or combination of parts for effecting the same as
berein-before described and shown in the accompanying Drawings, or any
mere equivalent therefor.
In witness whereof, I, the said James Edward, on behalf of the said
Alexander Edward, and of myself, have hereunto set my hand and
seal, this Twenty-seventh day of June, One, thousand eight hundred
and sixty-two.
JAS. EDWARD. (L.S.)