IMPROVE- MENTS IN AND MACHINERY FOR THE MANUFACTURE OF HARD TOPPED '. AND 'SOFT LAID' TWINE, MILL BANDING,' STRANDS FOR ROPES AND OTHER PURPOSES, AND CORDAGE GENERALLY FROM HEMP, FLAX, AND OTHER LIKE FIBROUS MATERIAL
Year: 1872

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to William Walker, of Liverpool, in the County
"
of Lancaster, Consulting Engineer, for the Invention of "IMPROVE-
MENTS IN AND MACHINERY FOR THE MANUFACTURE OF HARD TOPPED '. AND
'SOFT LAID' TWINE, MILL BANDING,' STRANDS FOR ROPES AND OTHER
PURPOSES, AND CORDAGE GENERALLY FROM HEMP, FLAX, AND OTHER LIKE
FIBROUS MATERIAL."
Sealed the 30th July 1872, and dated the 2nd February 1872.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said William Walker at the
Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on the
2nd February 1872.
I, WILLIAM WALKER, of Liverpool, in the County of Lancaster,
Consulting Engineer, do hereby declare the nature of the said Invention
for "IMPROVEMENTS IN AND MACHINERY FOR THE MANUFACTURE OF 'HARD
TOPPED AND SOFT LAID TWINE,' 'MILL BANDING,' STRANDS FOR ROPES AND
"

page_text: OTHER PURPOSES, AND CORDAGE GENERALLY FROM HEMP, FLAX, AND OTHER LIKE
FIBROUS MATERIAL," to be as follows (that is to say) :—
This Invention has for its object certain improvements in and
machinery for the manufacture of cordage generally from hemp, flax,
cotton, and other fibrous material requiring to be twisted together, and
is peculiarly applicable to the manufacture of mill banding for the
driving of spindles in cotton and other like factories.
A machine constructed according to this Invention may consist of an
upright frame, on the top of which is mounted two, three, or more flyer
frames which carry the bobbins containing the yarn or strands to be
"laid up," which it is preferred should be driven from below, the shanks
of the flyer spindles extending through bearings in a transverse beam,
or its mechanical equivalent, the lower ends being fitted with small
tooth pinions, or by preference small grooved or smooth friction pulleys
which gear into a horizontal toothed wheel, or impinge on a like corre-
sponding pulley common to the whole. This friction pulley or toothed
wheel is keyed into a vertical hollow shaft, the lower end of which is
fitted with a bevelled smooth grooved or toothed wheel which impinges
on or geared with a similar wheel on the end of a short horizontal shaft;
which shaft I prefer to extend through the frame of the machine for
carrying a fast and loose pulley so as to form the first motion or driving
shaft; and immediately in rear of the last-mentioned bevelled wheel on
the same shaft is keyed a similar wheel of larger diameter, which is
geared with or impinges upon a fourth bevelled or mitred wheel, keyed
on to the top of a second hollow shaft immediately in line with the first-
named hollow shaft, which lower hollow shaft forms the neck of the
take up reel flyer; the first-named hollow shaft takes into a bearing on
the top of the last referred to wheel, by which arrangement the upper
portion of the compound hollow shaft is driven at a higher speed than
the portion connected with the take up bobbin flyer.
Near the upper end of the hollow shaft are fitted a pair of grooved
pulleys one above the other, the axle of the lower one being fitted with
a mitre or bevel wheel which rolls in a circular race stationed between
the yarn bobbins and surrounding the hollow shaft for actuating the
grooved roller.
The bobbins are held in position in their several flyer frames by means
of a rod fitted with a spring which extends through the lower shank of

page_text: the flyer frame, the lower end of said rods being provided with a loop or
other suitable handle for drawing down the rods to remove or replace
the yarn or strand bobbins. The take up flyer at the bottom of the
machine is fitted with a vertical double cross cut screw spindle the
threads of which run in opposite directions and cut each other, and
which is encompassed by a travelling collar having a swivelling nut on
its inner surface which takes into the grooves of the screw; the traveller
is prevented revolving on the screwed shaft by means of an eye or
sliding collar on the side of the said traveller, and which slides on a
stationary rod parallel to the screwed shaft.
The lower end of the screwed shaft below the flyer frame is fitted with
a small worm wheel, into which gears a small worm shaft working in
bearings on the under side of the flyer frame, the inner end of which is
fitted with a small bevelled wheel travelling in a race which surrounds
the lower spindle of the flyer frame, so that as the flyer rotates the
worm gear is carried round with the flyer, causing the worm shaft to
rotate and communicate motion to the screwed spindle in one direction,
which 'has the effect of causing the traveller to reciprocate on the
screwed shaft by reason of the swivelling nut turning into the reverse
screwed groove at the ends of its path. The object of this arrangement
is to lay the finished cordage evenly on to the take up bobbin or reel.
The yarns or strands are carried up through the neck of the flyer
frames and over pulleys mounted in small "snatch blocks," which are
suspended on the ends of cords (or their mechanical equivalent) which
pass through fixed pulleys, and are weighted at the ends so that the
"snatch block" pulleys can rise and fall a given distance so as to keep
the required tension on the yarns or strands.
The yarns or strands to form the cordage are carried through the
forming tube on the head of the vertical hollow spindle, and several
times over or around the grooved pulleys described, thence down through
the compound hollow shaft over a grooved antifriction pulley on the
flyer neck, thence over a grooved pulley mounted on the top of the flyer
frame immediately above the double cut screwed shaft, thence over a
second grooved pulley, or through an eye on the traveller to the take up
reel bobbin.
The side of the frame above the fast and loose pulley is fitted with a
sliding wedge-shaped weight, which is held up by a detent motion or

page_text: short lever pivoted on to the frame, the upper or outer end of which
projects a little above the wedge-shaped weight, and at about the line of
its axis is formed with a projection which takes into a corresponding
recess formed in the inner face of the sliding wedge-shaped weight, and
by which the weight is suspended until released by the weight on the
ends of the block suspending strap descending on to the upper arm of
the lever which releases it from its recess, and allows the weight to fall,
forcing the driving strap from the fast pulley on to the loose one, thus
stopping the machine; the weight also in descending causes a bell to
ring in its descent, which, announces that the machine wants attention
by reason of the yarn or strand having broken, or one of the bobbins
require renewing.
The lower shank of the take up bobbin I form hollow and fit with a
spindle, the top of which carries a disc supporting the take up bobbin.
Between the under side of this disc and the upper surface of the lower
transverse arm is fitted with a spiral or helical spring for keeping the
reel or bobbin up; the lower end of this vertical spindle is fitted with a
flat grooved pulley, into which takes a cross head on the end of a
horizontal spindle which extends through the side of the machine frame.
This spindle may be surrounded for a portion of its length with a spiral
spring capable of being regulated to give the required friction to the
take up bobbin.
In place of using the counterweights on the ends of the snatch block
pulley suspenders for releasing the gear for stopping the machine, it
may be accomplished by a system of levers, the upper ends of which are
in contact with the yarns or strands, and so arranged that on a strand or
yarn breaking or running out the head of the lever will fall, and the
Lower end thereof will release the detent or latch by which the wedge-
shaped weight is suspended.
.
filed by the said William Walker in the Great Seal Patent Office on
the 2nd August 1872.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, WILLIAM
WALKER, of Liverpool, in the County of Lancaster, Consulting Engineer,
send greeting.
3

page_text: WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her
Letters Patent, bearing date the Second day of February, in the year
of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and seventy-two, in the
thirty-fifth year of Her reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and suc-
cessors, give and grant unto me, the said William Walker, Her special
licence that I, the said William Walker, my executors, administrators,
and assigns, or such others as I, the said William Walker, 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
AND MACHINERY FOR THE MANUFACTURE OF 'HARD TOPPED AND SOFT LAID
TWINE,' 'MILL BANDING,' STRANDS FOR ROPES' AND OTHER PURPOSES, AND
CORDAGE GENERALLY FROM HEMP, FLAX, AND OTHER LIKE FIBROUS MATERIAL,"
upon the condition (amongst others) that I, the said William Walker,
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 imme-
diately after the date of the said Letters Patent.
1
NOW KNOW YE, that I, the said William Walker, do hereby declare
the nature of my said 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) :—
This my said Invention has for its object certain improvements in the
manufacture of cordage generally from hemp, flax, cotton, and other
fibrous material requiring to be twisted together, and is peculiarly
applicable to the manufacture of "mill banding" for the driving of
spindles in cotton and other like factories.
A machine constructed according to this my said Invention may
consist of an upright frame, on the top of which is mounted two, three,.
or more flyer frames which carry the bobbins containing the yarns or
strands to be laid up, which it is preferred should be driven from below
the shank of the flyer spindles extending through bearings in a
transverse beam; or its mechanical equivalent, the lower ends being

page_text: '
fitted with small tooth pinions, or by preference small grooved or smooth
friction pulleys which gear into a horizontal toothed wheel, or impinge
on a like corresponding pulley common to the whole. The friction
pulley or toothed wheel is keyed on to a vertical hollow shaft, the lower
end of which is fitted with a bevelled smooth grooved or toothed wheel
which impinges on or geared with a similar wheel on the end of a short
horizontal shaft, which shaft I prefer to extend through the frame of
the machine for carrying a fast and loose pulley so as to form the first
motion or driving shaft, and immediately in rear of the last-mentioned
bevelled wheel on the same shaft is keyed a similar wheel of larger
diameter, which is geared with or impinges upon a fourth bevelled or
mitred wheel keyed on to the top of a second hollow shaft immediately
in line with the first named hollow shaft, which lower hollow shaft
forms the neck of the take up reel flyer; the first named hollow shaft
takes into a bearing on the top of the last referred to wheel, by which
arrangement the upper portion of the compound hollow shaft is driven
at a higher speed than the portion connected with the take up bobbin
flyer.
a
Near the upper end of the hollow shaft are fitted a pair of grooved
pulleys one above the other, the axle of the lower one being fitted with
a mitre or bevel wheel which rolls in a circular race stationed between
the yarn bobbin, and surrounding the hollow shaft for actuating the
grooved roller.
The bobbins are held in position of their several flyers by means of a
rod fitted with a spring which extends through the shank of the lower
flyer frame, the lower end of said rods being provided with a loop or
other suitable handle for drawing down the rods to remove or replace
the yarn or strand bobbins; the take up flyer at the bottom of the
machine is fitted with a vertical double cross cut screw spindle,. the
threads of which run in opposite directions and cut each other, and
which is encompassed by a travelling collar having a swiveling nut on
its inner surface which takes into the grooves of the screw, the traveller is
prevented revolving on the screwed shaft by means of an eye or sliding
collar on the side of said traveller, and which works on a stationary rod
parrallel to the screwed shaft.
The lower end of the screwed shaft below the flyer frame is fitted with
a small worm wheel, into which gears a small worm shaft working on

page_text: The lower shank of the take-up bobbin I form hollow and fit with a
spindle, the top of which carries a disc supporting the take up bobbin,
between the under side of this disc and the upper surface of the lower
transverse arm is fitted with a spiral or helical spring for keeping the
reel or bobbin up; the lower end of this vertical spindle is fitted with a
flat grooved pulley, into which takes a cross head on the end of the
horizontal spindle which extends through the side of the machine frame;
this spindle may be surrounded with for a portion of its length with a
spiral spring capable of being regulated to give the required friction to
the take up bobbin.
In place of using the counterweights on the ends of the snatch
block.pulleys suspenders for releasing the gear for stopping the machine,
it may be accomplished by a system of levers, the upper ends of which
are in contact with the yarns or strands, and so arranged that on a
strand or yarn breaking or running out the head of the lever will fall, 1
and the lower end thereof will release the detent or latch by which the
wedge-shaped weight is suspended.
That this my said Invention may be the more readily seen and under-
stood, I have hereunto annexed Drawings in partial illustration of one
modification of my improved machine, which will enable those practised:
in the art with facility to carry the same into practical effect, like figures
and letters marked thereon being used to denote similar parts.
Figure 1 is a vertical elevation seen partially in section of a three-
yarn or three-strand machine, and Figure 2 is a side elevation of the
frame, also seen partially in section; Figure 3 is a top view or plan a
showing the head of the frame and bearings receiving the hollow necks
of the flyers and centre hollow shaft; Figure 4 is a plan or top view of
swiveling nut, and Figure 5 is a side elevation of the same; and Figure 6
is a plan or view of the under side of the nut through which the
traveller or the double cut transverse screw shaft is actuated.
A, stationary frame; B, yarn or strand bobbin flyer frames; C, lines
showing the direction of the yarn or strands which pass over a pulley
in D, a snatch block on the end of E, a cord which passes over F, a
pulley suspended from the roof, or other convenient position; G is a
weight attached to the reverse end of the snatch block line, which when
the yarn breaks or is run out falls on the outer end of H, a detent or
latch motion by which is suspended J, a wedge-shaped block working in
E

page_text: i.
a side of the stationary frame, which on being released from the detent
or latch arrangement is so adjusted as to throw the driving strap from
the fast to the loose pulley, and which strikes a bell or actuates other
alarum in its descent; K, a hollow shaft in which is fitted L, a grooved
pulley working loosely on M, a transverse spindle; N, a second grooved
pulley which is keyed on to O, a transverse shaft to which is keyed P, a
bevell wheel which impinges on the circular hollow surface of Q, a
circular stationary race; R, a friction pulley which impinges on and
gives motion to S, friction pulleys keyed on to the lower ends of the
flyers B; T, a bevelled friction wheel keyed on to the hollow shaft K,
and which impinges on to U, a sister bevelled friction pulley keyed on
to V, the horizontal driving shaft, the outer ends of which carry W and
W 1, fast and loose driving pulleys; X, a bevelled friction pulley which
impinges on and actuates Y, a bevelled friction pulley keyed on to the
head of Z, hollow shaft forming the head of the flyer spindle of the
take-up bobbin. a, an antifriction pulley mounted on the side of the
hollow spindle head of the take-up flyer; b, a second grooved anti-
friction pulley mounted on stationary brackets on the flyer head;
c, traveller which encompasses d, a rotating shaft, which is cut with a
right and left handed intersecting screw, into the threads of which takes
the feather shown on the swivelling nut seen at Figures 4, 5, and 6, and
which swivelling nut fits within a circular recess formed in the travelling
nut c, and which is held in position by a screwed pin of the same or
about the same circumference as the swivelling nut, and the head of
which may be formed with an eye which encompasses a fixed bar placed.
parrallel to the transverse double-screwed shaft for preventing said
traveller turning round on the screwed shaft, so that when the screw is
rotated the said traveller reciprocates thereon, thus laying the finished
strands or cordage evenly on the bobbin; this traveller may be fitted
with an eye through which the finished cord passes, or with a small
grooved antifriction pulley; e is a transverse shaft revolving in fixed
bearings on the under side of the flyer frame, the outer end of which is
formed with a worm gearing into a worm wheel in the lower end of the
double cut transverse screwed shaft, and to the inner end of which hori-
zontal shaft is secured f, a bevelled roller, which travels round and
within 9, a fixed race; h, a friction pulley keyed to the lower end of
i, vertical shaft, to the head of which is attached j, a horizontal disc,
the centre of which carries a stud taking into a hollow in k, the take-up

page_text: reel; m, a helical or spiral spring encompassing the shank i carrying
the disc j, and which is used for supporting the take-up reel k.
This arrangement or modification of my improved machine will act
most effectually if the relative speed of the yarn bobbins be 500
revolutions, the drow row spindles 60, and the take-up bobbin at, say, &
about 160 revolutions per minute, which I have no doubt will be found
to give good results and produce a superior cordage, but of course this
may be modified according to circumstances and the several descriptions
of cordage required.
Having now fully described and ascertained the nature of this my 1
said Invention, and the means I am acquainted with for carrying
the same into practical effect, I wish it to be understood that I do not
confine myself to the several relative proportions or dimensions set
forth, as it will be readily seen the same may be considerably varied
without departing from the Invention, but what I do claim as new
in my Invention is, the general system of construction and arrangement
of the several parts of the apparatus operated substantially in the
manner and for the purposes herein-before described and set forth.
#
In witness whereof, I, the said William Walker, have set my hand
and affixed my seal, this First day of August, in the year of our
Lord One thousand eight hundred and seventy-two.
WILLIAM (L.S.) WALKER.
Witness,
PHILIP ROCHE,
Secretary to William Walker,
44, Castle Street,
Liverpool.