IMPROVEMENTS IN BOBBINS OR HOLDERS FOR TEXTILE PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION
Year: 1860

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to George M Kenzie, of Paisley, in the County of
Renfrew, North Britain, Thread Manufacturer, and John Hamilton, of
Glasgow, in the County of Lanark, North Britain, Commission Merchant,
for the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN BOBBINS OR HOLDERS FOR TEXTILE
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said George MºKenzie and
John Hamilton, at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his
Petition, on the 26th November 1860.
We, GEORGE MACKENZIE, of Paisley, in the County of Renfrew, North
Britain, Thread Manufacturer, and JOHN HAMILTON, of Glasgow, in the
County of Lanark, North Britain, Commission Merchant, do hereby declare
the nature of the said Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN BOBBINS OR HOLDERS
FOR TEXTILE MATERIALS," to be as follows, that is to say:-
This Invention relates to the application and use in the manufacture of
bobbins, reels, spools, or holders for textile materials, of clay, porcelain, or any
suitable fictile material, instead of wood, ivory, or other materials hitherto used
in such manufacture. In making solid bobbins in this way, they are simply
moulded or turned in a lathe out of the clay or porcelain material, or whatever
plastic material may be employed. Or instead of making them solid, they

page_text: may
be made with a barrel or cylindrical centre piece with porcelain or clay
ends attached. Bobbins made in this way present a very handsome appear-
ance, and they are capable of being highly ornamented.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent, filed
by the said George M-Kenzie and John Hamilton in the Great Seal
Patent Office on the 25th May 1861.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, we, GEORGE
M KENZIE, of Paisley, in the County of Renfrew, North Britain, Thread
Manufacturer, and JOHN HAMILTON, of Glasgow, in the County of Lanark,
North Britain, Commission Merchant, send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her Letters
Patent, bearing date the Twenty-sixth day of November, in the year of our
Lord One thousand eight hundred and sixty, in the twenty-fourth year of Her
reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give and grant unto us,
the said George M-Kenzie and John Hamilton, Her special licence, that we,
the said George MoKenzie and John Hamilton, our executors, administrators,
and assigns, or such others as we, the said George M Kenzie and John
Hamilton, our 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 IN
BOBBINS OR HOLDERS FOR TEXTILE MATERIALS," upon the condition (amongst
others) that we, the said George M Kenzie and John Hamilton, our executors
or administrators, by an instrument in writing under our hands and seals, or
under the hand and seal of one of us, should particularly describe and ascertain
the nature of the said Invention, and in what manner the same was to bo
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 tho said
Letters Patent.
•
NOW KNOW YE, that we, the said George M.Kenzie and John Hamilton,
do hereby declare the nature of our 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 :—
. Our said Invention relates to the application and use, in the manufacture of
bobbins, reels, spools, or holders for textile materials, of clay, porcelain, or any.

page_text: suitable fictile material, instead of wood, ivory, or other materials hitherto
used in such manufacture. In making solid bobbins in this way, they are
simply moulded or turned in a lathe out of the clay or porcelain material, or
whatever plastic material may be employed. Or instead of making them solid
they may be made with a barrel or cylindrical centre piece with porcelain or
clay ends attached. Bobbins made in this way present a very handsome
appearance, and they are capable of being highly ornamented.
And in order that our said Invention of improvements in bobbins or holders
for textile materials may be properly understood, we shall now proceed to
describe certain modifications under which the said Invention may be judiciously
carried out in practice, that is to say, under one modification these bobbins
or holders are manufactured wholly of clay or porcelain material. The clay
or other suitable plastic material is prepared in the form of a stiff plastic mass,
which is fed into a moulding or shaping apparatus. This apparatus is arranged
in such manner that the clay is pressed or carried forward so as to cause it to
exude through a moulding aperture or series of the same. These apertures
forin the clay into cylindrical lengths which have a tubular passage extending.
throughout each length. This tubular aperture is formed by a piece of wire
or other suitable cylindrical material fitted or arranged in the centre of the
moulding orifice, so that as the clay exudes, it forms a tubular aperture through
the moulded length. As the moulded clay passes out through the aperture or
apertures it is rapidly cut into short lengths corresponding to the length of the
bobbins required. The cutting operation is effected by means of a self-acting
knife or cutter, which is actuated from the moving parts of the machine.
The lengths of clay are then put aside in a suitable place for the purpose of
drying the clay sufficiently to admit of the barrel part of the bobbin being.
turned or formed to the required diameter. The turning apparatus consists of
a lathe having a trough or gutter so arranged that the clay blanks may be
readily passed in succession on to the mandril. The cutting tool of the
turning apparatus is arranged so as to have a self-acting traverse to and fro.
In this way when a blank is put on to the mandrel by the attendant, the
cutting tool moves up to the blank and turns the barrel part of the bobbin
down to the required diameter. At this point the cutter begins to move away
from the bobbin, which is then removed either by hand or mechanical means
from the mandrel. Another blank is slipped on to the mandrel in readiness
to receive the cutter in its forward traverse, and in this way the forming of
the barrels is effected with great rapidity and ease. The turned bobbins are
next arranged in a kiln and fired in the usual way, and on cooling they present
the appearance of what is known as biscuit ware. The last operation is to

page_text: glaze the ends of the bobbins, which is done in the usual manner; the barrel
of the bobbin is by preference left unglazed in order to obtain a better hold
for the thread when wound thereon. Prior to the glazing process the ends of
the bobbins may, if required, be ornamented with suitable devices or manufac-
turer's trade marks. Another mode of making these earthenware bobbins in
lieu of turning them is to make them in moulds. These moulds may be formed
in two parts, which are hinged together and made with handles so as to com-
press the clay forcibly into the recesses of the interior.. When a mass of clay
is put into the mould, the simple act of shutting the mould forms the clay to
the desired figure. Holes are made through the ends of the mould to admit
of a wire being passed through the enclosed clay, and so form the tubular
aperture through the barrel. The moulded bobbins are subsequently dried
to a proper degree, and are then turned, if required, in the manner before
described, burnt, and glazed in the usual way.
Another modification or mode of manufacturing these improved bobbins is
to form the ends of earthenware and the barrels of wood, tin, paper, or papier
maché. These ends may be manufactured with great rapidity either by forming
them in moulds or by punching them out of clay prepared and rolled to the
required thickness; or a cylindrical length of clay, similar to what is described
in the first modification, is put into the trough or guide of a cutting apparatus.
Each time the self-acting cutter is raised the clay is caused to move forward a
distance equal to the thickness of the ends to be formed. When this move-
ment takes place the end of the clay comes in contact with a die or mould;
which imparts to the clay the required convexity for the under side of the
bobbin ends. The descent of the knife severs the moulded end, and in this
way the discs are formed with great rapidity and accuracy. These discs are
afterwards fired in a kiln, ornamented with designs if required, and glazed.
The discs are then fitted to the wooden or other barrels, which completes the
manufacture. Instead of making the barrels of a material dissimilar to the
ends, the barrels may also be formed of clay if preferred. To do this the
clay is forced through a die or moulding plate, the aperture or apertures in
which correspond to the diameter of the barrel of the bobbin, and having the
nsual longitudinal aperture formed in the clay as it exudes from the die. As
the clay is moulded in this manner it is cut off by a self-acting knife into
pieces of the required length. To these pieces as they are formed the end
pieces or discs are stuck thereto; the bobbins thus formed are dried to the
proper degree, fired in the kiln, and then glazed. Bobbins manufactured
according to these several improvements combine lightness with elegance of
appearance and great economy in prime cost.

page_text: 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 to be novel
and original, and therefore claim as the Invention secured to us by the herein-
before in part recited Letters Patent is, the system or mode of manufacturing
bobbins, either wholly or in part of earthenware, by the means or processes
herein-before described, or any mere modification of the same.
In witness whereof, we, the said George M.Kenzie and John Hamilton,
have hereunto set our hands and seals, this Twenty-third day of May,
One thousand eight hundred and sixty-one.
GEORGE MCKENZIE. (L.B.)
JOHN HAMILTON.
(L.S.)