Improvements in Spinning Mules.
Year: 1895

page_text: Date of Application, 11th Mar., 1895
Complete Specification Left, 11th Dec., 1895-Accepted, 15th Feb 1896
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Spinning Mules.
I, WILLIAM HURST of Bridgman Place Works, Bolton in the County of
Lancaster, Machine Maker, do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be
be as follows, that is to say:
It relates firstly to mules wherein the spindles are rotated at an increased velocity
while the carriage is at the head as compared with their speed during the travelling-
out of said carriage, said increased velocity being for the purpose of giving the
extra twist to the yarn or thread as desired and which is rendered necessary in the
spinning of the finer counts of yarns or threads.
The rate of speed at which the spindles revolve during the outward motion of
the carriage is known as the single speed, and their rate during the time that the
carriage is at the head or is at the extent of its outward movement is called the
double speed.
In carrying my invention into effect I make use of two grooved pulleys or
"rims," one for the single speed and the other for the double speed, this latter
being considerably larger in diameter than is the former since it is through the
difference in their respective sizes that I wish to obtain the different speeds.
These rims are mounted on separate shafts which are, however, placed in line
with each other (since by this arrangement I can entirely dispense with toothed
gearing wheels and yet by the method hereinafter described make any alterations
I desire, still, it is possible to arrange the shafts in other relative positions than
this described, by making use of gearing or other devices for coupling one to the
other) the larger rim being on the outer end of one shaft while the smaller rim is
on the outer and extreme end of the other shaft. The approaching ends of these
shafts are arranged to carry three belt-pulleys, the central one being arranged to
run loosely on one or other or on both of the shafts, while each of the other two
pulleys is fixed or keyed on its respective shaft, one being on the large-rim shaft
the other on the small-rim shaft.
By following this method of arranging the pulleys, shafts and rims, it will be
seen that when the driving belt is on one pulley, say that on the small rim shaft, it
becomes the driver of the other shaft, which in this case would be by the small
rim driving the large one through the medium of the rim-band, and when the belt
is on the pulley of the other shaft then this latter becomes the driver and the
former is driven by the rim-band, while when the belt is on the middle or loose
pulley its power over both the shafts will have ceased.
The rim-band above referred to, in passing from one rim to the other imparts
motion to the usual parts which operate the spindles in the well known manner,
and provided any change in the relative rates of speed at which these spindles
have to be operated, is desired, it may readily be effected by substituting a rim of
greater or less diameter for the smaller rim and regulating the rim-band accordingly.
No changing of toothed wheels being in any way necessary or required.
On the large rim shaft I arrange a brake wheel to operate in connection with
the driving pulley thereon (or this brake wheel may be entirely separate from said
driving pulley) and the brake of this wheel mount so as to slide lengthwise
upon the shaft (in which case the brake may be of the well known conical form)
although I am aware that such brake may be arranged to operate in a direction at

page_text: right angles thereto by its brake wheel being formed accordingly, however for
neatness I preferably make use of the former arrangement. This brake is coupled
by lever, rod or other connections to the brake which is mounted to operate in
contact with the brake wheel on the small rim shaft so that whenever this latter is
put into operation so also is the former, or provided the large rim-shaft is used for
imparting motion to the parts for effecting the "backing-off" then whenever the
brake on this large-rim-shaft is put into operation the brake on the other shaft
will also be put into operation which, as will be understood, is only a reversal of
the arrangement last before described.
From the foregoing description it will be seen that when the driving belt is
shifted from the pulley of the large-rim-shaft on to the loose pulley the brakes on
both shafts may be and are, by suitably arranged mechanism, simultaneously
brought into operation so as to quickly and effectively arrest the motion of these
shafts prior to same being rotated in the opposite direction for the purpose of
performing the function well known as "backing-eff," thus the strain that would
otherwise be put upon the rim-band by the momentum of the large rim, or the
one that is not put into action for performing the function of " backing-off,"
carrying it past or after the time of the action of the cone upon the small-rim-
shaft, is prevented and the breakages of same and loss and waste of time incident
thereto, are avoided.
To enable the cone brake on the large-rim-shaft or the one not used for
backing-off" to perform its functions as a brake efficiently and yet allow its
rim-wheel to revolve in the opposite direction during the process of "backing-off,"
I form a ratchet-wheel on the back of this cone-brake, said wheel having its teeth
as also the ratchets (which may be one, two or more in number) which operate
in connection with it, so arranged that the latter allow it to freely revolve in one
direction while they firmly hold it in the other.
These ratchets are also formed sufficiently broad to allow the ratchet-wheel.to
slide upon the shaft during its and the cone's movements into and out of contact
with the brake-wheel, without allowing said wheel to revolve other than as
desired.
Instead of arranging the shafts on which the rims are mounted as hereinbefore
described, 1 might make one shaft hollow so that the other will pass through and
rotate within it, in which case the rims may be placed in proximity with each other
while the cone brake may be either in connection with the larger rim or with the
pulley through which it is driven.
The second part of my invention relates to the automatic disengaging motion in
connection with the belt-shifting mechanism and consists of arranging and forming.
the catch which holds the belt fork against the action of a spring or weight: so
that on the usual cam device disengaging said catch the belt is moved in two or
more stages or gradually instead of being abruptly shifted from the fast to the
loose pulley on the completion of the twisting operation and this part of my
invention may be employed with equal advantages in single speed as well as in
single-and-double speed mules.
The catch is formed to have as many retaining notches as the number of stages
it is desired to employ in moving the belt from the fast to the loose pulley or two
or more catches may be employed, while again said catches may be formed of such
a shape as will allow the spring or weight to act only gradually on the belt fork
instead of in abrupt stages as described.
Dated this 9th day of March 1895.

page_text: Improvements in Spinning Mules.
I, WILLIAM HURST, of Bridgman Place Works, Bolton, in the County of
Lancaster, Machine Maker, 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, that is to say :-
:-
It relates firstly to mules wherein the spindles are rotated at an increased
velocity while the carriage is at the head as compared with their speed during the
travelling-out of said carriage, said increased velocity being for the purpose of
giving the extra twist to the yarn or thread as desired and which is rendered
necessary in the spinning of the finer counts of yarns or threads.
The rate of speed at which the spindles revolve during the outward motion of
the carriage is known as the single speed, and their rate during the time that the
carriage is at the head or is at the extent of its outward movement is called the
double speed.
In order that my invention may be readily understood I have hereunto appended
sheets of drawings illustrative thereof in which
Fig. 1 is a view, as seen from above, of a sufficient portion of the driving
mechanism of a spinning mule to show the application of my invention.
Fig. 2 is an elevation of said mechanism and as seen in the direction indicated
by arrow 2.
Fig. 3 is a similar view to Fig. 2 but shows the mechanism as
opposite direction to that indicated by the arrow 2.
seen in the
Fig. 4 is a sectional view illustrating certain of the parts hereinafter
explained.
Figs. 5 and 6 are similar views to Figs. 2 and 4 respectively but are illustrative
of a modification hereinafter explained.
Fig. 7 is a sectional view (drawn to an enlarged scale) of one of the driving
pullies and its friction clutch.
Similar letters and figures of reference indicate similar parts throughout the
several views.
"
In carrying my invention into effect I make use of the grooved pullies or
"rims a and 6 one for single speed and the other for the double speed, this latter
(the rim 6) being considerably larger in diameter than is the former (the rim a)
since it is through the difference in their respective sizes that I wish to obtain the
different speeds.
These rims a and b are mounted on separate shafts d and e which are, however,
placed in line with each other (since by this arrangement I can entirely dispense
with toothed gearing wheels and yet by the method hereinafter described make
any alterations I desire, still, it is possible to arrange the shafts in other relative
positions than this described, by making use of gearing or other devices for
coupling one to the other as will be well understood; the rim b being on the outer
end of the shaft e while the rim a is fixed on the outer end of the shaft d. The
approaching ends of these shafts d and e are arranged to carry three belt
pulleys f g and h, the central one being arranged to run loosely on one or other
or both of the shafts de (or on a bush, as the bush k, fixed or loosely carried by
these shafts de), while each of the other pulleys his fixed or keyed on its
respective shaft de.
By following this method of arranging the pulleys fg and h, shafts d and e and
rims a and b, it will be seen that when the driving belt is on one pulley, say the
pulley, its shaft d and rim a become the drivers of the other rim b and shaft e
through the medium of the rim-band m; and when the belt is on the other pulley,

page_text: that is the pulley h then its shaft e and rim b become the drivers of the rim a and
shaft d through the medium of the same rim-band m, while when the belt is on
the middle pulley g its power over both of the shafts de will have ceased.
The rim-band m above referred to, in passing from one rim a to the other b
imparts motion to the usual parts which operate the spindles n in the well-known
manner, and provided, any change in the relative rates of, speed at which these
spindles n have to be operated, is desired, it may readily be effected by substituting
a rim of greater or less diameter for the smaller rim a and regulating the length
af the-rim-band m accordingly. No changing of toothed wheels being in any, way
necessary or required.
.
On the shaft e arrange a brake-wheel o to operate in connection with the
driving pulley h (or this, brake wheel o may be entirely separate from the pulley h
but it must be fixed to or otherwise arranged so that it may be employed for
retarding the actions of the shaft e) and the brake p for this wheel o I mount so
that it will, slide lengthwise upon the shaft e or on a sleeve pl carried thereby
(in which case this. brake p is of the well-known conical form), although I am
aware that such brake may be arranged to operate in a direction at right angles
to said shafte by its brake wheel o being formed to suit such altered position,
however for neatness I. preferably make use of the former arrangement and so it
is the only arrangement shown by the drawings. This brake p is coupled by the fork
lever r, rod and lever. 2 to the brakes which is mounted to operate in contact
with the brake-wheel on the shaft d (thus forming duplex "brake mechanism)
so that, whenever this latter brakes is put into operation so also is the former
brake p, or provided the shafte is used for imparting motion to the parts for
effecting the backing-off" operations, then whenever the brake is put into
operation the brakes will also be put into operation which, as will be seen, is
only a reversal of the direction in which the last before described functions were
performed.
66
From the foregoing description it, will be seen that when the driving belt is
shifted from the pulley h on to the loose pulley 9 the brakes and s are, by
.suitably arranged mechanism as is well known, and by reason of being coupled
together as above described, simultaneously brought into operation so as to quickly
and effectively arrest the motion of both shafts de prior to same being rotated in
the opposite direction for the purpose of performing the function well-known as
backing-off," thus the strain that would otherwise be put upon the rim-band m by
the momentum of the large rim 6 (or the one that at such time was not put into
action for performing the function of "backing-off") carrying it past or after the
time of the action of the brake s upon the shaft d, is prevented and the breakages
of same and loss and waste of time incident thereto are avoided.
66
To enable the cone brake p on the shaft e (or on the shaft not used for the
"backing-off" operations) to perform its functions efficiently as a brake and yet
allow its rim-wheel to revolve in the opposite direction during the operation of
"backing-off," I form a ratchet wheel u on the back of the said brake p, said
wheel having its teeth as also the ratchets y² (which may be one, two or
more in number) which operate in connection with it, so arranged that the said
ratchets allow it to freely revolve in one direction in which it neither would
nor is required to act as a brake while they firmly hold it in the other direction
in which it has to act solely as a brake.
These ratchets v v¹ are also formed sufficiently broad at the point of contact with
the wheel u to. allow said wheel u to slide as desired during its and the cone's
movements into and out of contact with the wheel o, without allowing said wheel u
to revolve other than as herein before described.
To keep the wheel u in contact with its ratchets when the cone brake p is
clear of the wheel o a small frictioning piece u¹ (see Fig. 7) is attached to it and
made to reach and be pressed by its own resilience into contact with the outer
surface of the wheel o with sufficient force so that this latter is enabled to move it
as desired.

page_text: Instead of arranging the shafts de on which the rims a bare mounted; as herein-
before described, I might make one shaft, as that for the rim.b, hollow as shown
by Figs. 5 and 6 so that the other shaft d' will pass through and rotate within it;
in which case the rims ab may be placed in proximity with each other as shown
by Figs. 5 and 6, while the cone brake may be either in connection with the
larger rim & or with the pulley h through which it is driven, the latter arrangement
being the only one illustrated.
The second part of my invention relates to the automatic disengaging motion in
connection with the belt shifting mechanism and consists of arranging and forming
the catch w which holds the belt fork w¹ against the action of a spring w² or
weight w³, so that on the usual cam device at a disengaging said catch w through
the medium of the rod a¹ and the lever 2 (which latter performs its functions by
coming in contact with the projection Z' on said catch w) the belt is moved in
two or more stages or gradually instead of being abruptly shifted from the
loose to the fast pulley when the mule is changing on to single or slower speed
and this part of my invention may be employed with equal advantages in single
speed as well as in single-and-double speed mules.
The manner in which the strap is moved and held by the belt fork w' on each
of the pulleys f, g and h is that usually employed in connection with spinning
nules, but the catch is formed to have as many retaining notches y as the number
of stages it is desired to employ in moving the belt from the fast to the loose
pulley, or two or more separate catches of varied length might be employed, while
again said catches may be formed of such a shape as will allow the spring or
weight to act only gradually on the belt fork, instead of in abrupt stages as
described, by which means as the said catch w is raised from retaining the belt
fork w by reason of its first notch laying hold of the pin in the well known manner,
the levers, weights and springs acting on the belt fork also in the usual and well
known manner cause same to move to carry with it the driving belt until the next
notch in said catch w reaches said pin z on which the motion of the belt fork is
again arrested until the lever by its continued movement again raises the catch w
so that its then-holding-notch is also clear of the pin at which time the levers
weights and springs again act and move the belt fork w¹, thus its movements are
nade step by step instead of being completed at one abrupt bound, from this it
will be seen that the movements of the strap over and in connection with the three
pulleys are in the usual and well known manner except that they are performed in
stages or gradually as described.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said inven-
tion, and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what I
claim is :-
1. The combination in a spinning mule of duplex brake mechanism with the
mechanism for imparting motion to the spindles of said mule substantially as
specified.
2. In a spinning mule the combination of the several parts forming the driving
mechanism for securing the varied speeds desired, with means for putting such said
parts into and out of operation substantially as herein set forth.
3. In a spinning mule the combination of duplex driving mechanism with brake
devices for acting in conjunction with said mechanism substantially as and for the
purposes specified.
4. The combination in a spinning mule of means whereby the mechanisms for
imparting variable rotary motion to the spindle thereof, are rendered distinct and
separate from each other except so far as they are joined together by the driving or
"rim-band," brake mechanisms for acting separately upon these driving mechanisms
and means for coupling said brakes together so that they are made to act or operate
simultaneously substantially as herein specified.
5. In a spinning mule the combination of separate shafts either of the solid or
hollow formation described, for respectively carrying the larger and smaller rims

page_text: or grooved driving pullies, means arranged to be brought into operation for
simultaneously retarding the actions of both of these shafts, and the other parts
forming the driving mechanism for the spindles substantially as set forth.
6. In a spinning mule the combination with the automatic belt shifting device of
means for preventing same from acting suddenly upon the driving belt substantially
as herein specified.
7. In a spinning mule the combination of a graduated holding or retaining catch
and means for operating same in order to cause the belt shifting mechanism to act
in a more desirable manner substantially as set forth.
1
c D
1 1005
WILLIAM HURST,
Per Samuel Hey,
21, Mawdsley Street, Bolton, Agent.