Improvements in and relating to the Manufacture of Silk and Worsted Cord, Rope, and such like.
Year: 1893

page_text: Date of Application, 13th June, 1893
Complete Specification Left, 13th Mar., 1894-Accepted. 2nd June, 1894
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in and relating to the Manufacture of Silk and
Worsted Cord, Rope, and such like.
I, ALFRED SMITH of 100, Gosford Street Coventry in the County of Warwick
Cord and Rope Spinner, do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as
follows:-
This invention relates to a new means for manufacturing silk and worsted cord
and rope whereby much time labour and material is saved."
For ny purpose I construct two stages or standards one at each end of the rope
walk or shop, situated at a distance apart of say, from 26 to 36 yards as required.
Running from one stage or standard to the other on each side of same are two
parallel bands consisting of wire, wire rope, rods, or such like, upon which is a
traveller or carriage supporting what is generally known as a "wheel head" which
in this case consists of a frame with two revolving pulleys on each side within it.
Mounted upon the one stage or standard at the driving end is a shaft and driving
pulley, which may be worked by hand or other suitable motivé power, over this
pulley runs an endless band which passes over a pulley upon the opposite stage,
the two ends of the band are connected to the front and back of the traveller or
carriage.
The action is thus. The supply of silk or worsted is placed at the foot of the
stage from which the apparatus is worked, the necessary number of lengths or ends
as required are first of all passed up through a rail, or holder, upon this stage, then
the lengths of material are passed under or through the frame of the "wheel head"
on the traveller or carriage and back again to hooks situated upon suitable pulley
wheels at the rear of the stage as hereinafter alluded to.
The motion of the driving pulley wheel causes the carriage to traverse the
parallel bands to and fro between the stages or standards.
The traveller or carriage in its passage draws out the required lengths of material
from the supply, the lengths are received from the traveller (when it has reached
the opposite stage) by strong hooks in same, the lengths are then passed over the
before named pulleys upon the wheel head of the traveller, the action of the
driving pulley being now reversed obviously causes the traveller to return to its
starting point the lengths of material are then passed into the hooks which receive
same at this end the traveller is then actuated forward again and backwards and so
ou, according to the strength and thickness of the rope required as each passage of
the traveller multiplies the number of lengths of material. The required number
having been turned off by the action of the arrangement as shewn, they are all
twisted together in the usual (or any suitable) manner for making a rope such as
a train of pulley wheels etc. at the rear of the stage, as stated the hooks that carry
the material at this end revolve with the action of such pulleys which may be
actuated by hand or other suitable motive power.
Thus by my improvements a great advantage is gained and an effective method is
supplied for the purpose for which it is intended.
Dated this 7th day of June A.D. 1893.
EDWARD J. PAYNE & SON,
10+, Colmore Row, Birmingham, Agents for the Applicant.

page_text: COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in and relating to the Manufacture of Silk and
Worsted Cord, Rope, and such like.
I, ALFRED SMITH of Auckland House Springfield Road (late of 100, Gosford
Street) Coventry in the County of Warwick, Cord and Rope Spinner, 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 :-
My invention relates to new means for the manufacture of silk and worsted cord
and rope and the like, thus effecting a great saving of time, labour, and material, as
compared with the methods of manufacture hitherto employed for this kind of work.
For my purpose I erect stages or standards at a certain distance apart to which
are connected parallel bands, wires, rails, or rods, running from the one stage or
standard to the other, upon these parallel wires, rails or rods, a traveller or
carriage passes to and fro, actuated by means of pulley wheels and driving band.
Mounted upon the traveller or carriage is a "wheel head" also bobbins or spools,
and suitable hooks, or connections are attached to each of the stages or standards,
to pulleys in the one case and to a travelling bar in the other.
Between the stages or standards are supports situated where required to which
are connected shorter parallel bands, wires, rails or iods, which run from the stage
farthest from the driving end to the said supports, and carry the travelling bar.
A suitable train of pulley wheels and pulley bands is carried at the rear of the
first named or driving end stage in connection with the apparatus.
I will proceed to describe my invention and its action more fully with reference
to the accompanying drawings in which
Figure 1. is a side elevation, shewing the general arrangement of construction.
Figure 2. shews a plan of same.
Figure 3. an end elevation of the stage from the driving end, with the train of
pulley wheels and bands.
Figure 4. shews a part of end elevation with the travelling bar, and lever.
Figure 5 is a view of the traveller or carriage and accessories thereto.
Similar letters of reference relate to similar parts on the figures.
Let A and B represent two stages or standards which for convenience sake I
will call the first and second stages, these are built up of wood, or of metal, or of
both, and consist of perpendicular supports, and cross pieces, forming strong
framework, these stages or standards are situated one at each end of the rope walk,
or work-shop, and at any given distance apart, say for example from 26 to
36 vards.
Running from the first stage or standard A to the second B, on each side of the
same, are two parallel bands, rails. or rods, C, C₁, consisting of wire, wire rope,
or other suitable substance, attached to the stages by eyelets, hooks, or other
means. Upon these parallel lines is mounted a traveller or carriage E, having a
platform E', and supporting what is generally known in the trade as a "wheel
head" by preference being two standards on each side thereof G, G', with front
and back rails, guides or holders H, H', situated transversely to the front and back
of the said traveller or carriage E. The platform of the traveller or carriage also
supports two upright spindles which carry revolving bobbins or spools F, F,
whereon a continuous supply of the silk or worsted or other material is wound.
Mounted upon the first stage or standard A, is a shaft I, carrying a driving pulley
wheel J, in suitable bearings which may be actuated by a handle J¹, or other
suitable motive power may be employed, over this pulley wheel J, runs a driving
band K, which passes over a second pulley L upon the stage B, the two ends of
the driving band are connected to the front and back portions of the traveller or

page_text: carriage E at (e) and (f). Two pulley wheels M, M', are situated transversely at
the rear of the first stage upon a suitable support, these pulley wheels have strong
hooks N, N', or other connections passing through the centres of same, a band K',
passes over the said pulleys M M and also over a pulley wheel O, which is in
connection with the pulley S and band K2, passing over pulley wheel T, and
actuated by a handle T' or other suitable means. Hooks N', N³, are connected to
the travelling bar P, which when in its normal position is located in a groove or
recess in the head of the framing of the stage B, and retained rigidly in position
when so required by a lever arm and handle P', the bar P when released by the
lever P, travels along the two parallel bands, wires, or rails, C³, C³, to the
supports Q, aud Q', as hereinafter described and shewn more clearly in plan view
Fi
The operation of manufacture is carried out as follows:
Conveniently placed as required upon a beam or otherwise in the usual manner
(but not shewn) at or near to the stage A is the cotton material or yarn of which
the strands are composed for the cord or rope to be covered with the silk, worsted
or other material used in the process of manufacture.
The drawings shew a double set of apparatus for manufacturing the cord or rope,
that is to say two lengths or strands of cotton material or yarn may be operated
upon at the same time.
The strands of cotton material or yarn R R being cut to the required lengths
are first of all looped at each of their ends and are then passed over and onto the
hooks N. N of the pulleys M M' upon the stage A, and also their other ends
are similarly looped and passed over and onto the second set of hooks N' N³ upon
the travelling bar P. situated at the opposite stage B.
The silk thread or worsted covering material (whichever may be used) is drawn
from the continuous supply upon the bobbins or spools F. F" (in each case) over
the guide rail H of the wheel head upon the traveller or carriage E as seen in
Figure 2 and passed over the aforesaid hooks N. N¹ which as stated also carry the
lengths or strands of cotton material R. R' to be covered, the traveller or carriage E
being in the position shewn is then actuated forwards by the handle J1 (or other
motive power) the action of the driving pulley J and driving band K. which passes
over the pulleys J and L. causes the traveller E. to traverse the parallel bands,
wires rails or rods C. C'. The traveller having arrived at the opposite end or stage B.
from which it started the lengths of silk thread or worsted which have been
unwound from the bobbins or spools F. F¹ and fed along the cotton strands in the
passage of the traveller are then drawn over the guide rail or holder-H' on
the wheel head and being paid off by the bobbins are then passed over the
hooks N' N³ having the cotton strands or yarn thereon as aforesaid, the action of the
handle J or other driving medium is now reversed and the traveller or carriage E.
is caused to return to its starting point, the lengths of silk thread or worsted being
unwound from the bobbins F. Fi and fed along the cotton strands R. R' as in the
forward passage of the traveller E are now again passed over the aforesaid
hooks N. Nas in the first instance and the traveller actuated forwards again and the
lengths of silk thread or worsted drawn from the continuous supply on the bobbins
are again passed over the hooks N' N' and the traveller brought back again as
before and so on, the traveller 'being actuated to and fro until the required number
of lengths of silk thread or worsted covering material are drawn off from the
bobbins or spools, for the manufacture of the cord or rope. Each passage of the.
traveller multiplying the lengths, as will be readily seen.
When a sufficient body (consisting of the number of lengths of silk thread or
worsted) has been paid off by the bobbins in the passage of the traveller it is then
cut off from the continuous supply and the operation of manufacture is continued,
the lengths or strands of cotton material or yarn being as stated stretched from the
hooks N. N' to the hooks N' N³ are held by the same and also the lengths of silk

page_text: or worsted, the travelling bar P. upon the stage B. is now released from its fixed
position by the lever P1, the pulley wheels M. M' with their hooks N. N¹ situated
upon the stage A are then set in motion by means of the handle T' upon the pulley
wheel T. the driving band K2 in turn actuates the pulleys S. and O these latter
being carried by the same shaft, the motion is then ti ansmitted by the driving band K'
to the pulleys M. M over which it passes, the rotation of these pulleys obviously
cause the hooks N. N¹ therein to turn consequently the cotton yain and also the
silk thread or worsted covering material held by these hooks, and by the non-
rotating hooks N' N³ is twisted or spun together the whole of the lengths between
the stages A and B.
The twisting or spinning naturally tends to shorten the lengths of material being
operated upon wherefore the travelling bar P being now free to move by its
release from the lever P¹ the tension caused by the twisting process draws the said
bar along the parallel wires or rods C2 C3 to the supports Q. Q' where it stops,
thus yielding to the effects of the strain caused by the twisting which would other-
wise snap the lengths of material. Thus the finished strands of cord, or 1ope, are
produced and as the lengths are made they are removed and a fresh supply of
material is placed over the hooks and the operation repeated.
The bar P having been drawn forwards as shewn is returned to its position on the
stage B after the finished lengths have been removed, in order to be ready for the
next supply.
By these or similar acting means an effective arrangement of apparatus is
provided for the above named process of manufacture.
Whilst I have described and illustrated the above arrangement as applied for a
double set of acting means for my purpose, it will be obvious that I may multiply
the same according to requirements and I also wish it to be understood that I do
not limit myself to the precise details of construction herein set forth as I may
vary and adapt the principle of my said invention without departing from the
essential particulars of same.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said inven-
tion and the best means I am aware of for carrying the same into practical effect,
I declare that what I claim is,
Firstly. In the manufacture of silk and worsted cord, rope, and such like, the
application and embodiment of my principle, and particular construction and
arrangement of parts herein described or other similar acting means, capable of
producing the same result for the purpose set forth.
Secondly. In combination the consti uction and arrangement of parts forming the
apparatus as herein described and constituting my invention consisting of the stages
or standards A, and B, the parallel bands, wires, rails, or rods C, C, the traveller
or carriage E in connection therewith, the supports or standards G, G', holders, or
guides H, H', and bobbins or spools F, F, together with the hooks N, N', N³,
the travelling bar P', and lever 1", the parallel bands rails or rods C, C³, and
supports Q, and Qall operating with the several pulleys J, O, S, T, M, M', and
their driving bands K, K, K³, in manner and for the purpose substantially as set
forth.
N³
Thirdly. The general arrangement and disposition of the several parts constituting
the apparatus for the manufacture of silk & worsted, cord rope, and such like as
hei ein before described.
Dated th: 1041
EDWD. J. PAYNE & SON,
104, Colmore Row, Birmingham, Agents for the Applicant.