CERTAIN IMPROVEMENTS IN MULES FOR SPINNING
Year: 1865

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to John Knowles, of Bolton, in the County of Lancaster,
Spinner, and James Banks, of Sharples, in the same County, Spinner, for
the Invention of "CERTAIN IMPROVEMENTS IN MULES FOR SPINNING."
Sealed the 13th June 1865, and dated the 4th January 1865.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said John Knowles and James
Banks at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with their Petition,
on the 4th January 1865.
We, JOHN KNOWLES, of Bolton, in the County of Lancaster, Spinner, and
JAMES BANKS, of Sharples, in the same County, Spinner, do hereby declare
the nature of the said Invention for "CERTAIN IMPROVEMENTS IN MULES FOR
SPINNING," to be as follows:-
Our Invention relates to that portion of mechanism employed in hand or
self-acting mules by which the "run in" and out of the spindle carriage is
effected, and is designed to keep the yarn whilst being spun even and regular,
and also to impart greater strength when the spindle carriage is completing its
'run out." The improvements consist in imparting to the spindle carriage of
mules a differential or varying speed when running out, which commences
quickly, and gradually diminishes in speed as the distance of the spindles
from the front rollers increases.
The effect may be produced by several mechanical arrangements, the method
we most prefer being herein described. Upon the ordinary cam or worm
shaft of the mules, or in any other convenient position about the beadstock.

page_text: one or more cones are arranged which, when caused to revolve, transmit,
through the medium of suitable bevil and "jack-in-the-box" gearing, a
differential motion to the "long driver" shaft of the mule which moves the
carriage; and also through such shaft motion is imparted to the rollers for
delivering the yarn by means of bevil wheels so as to suit the differential or
varying motion of the spindle carriage when "running out."
A second arrangement of apparatus for effecting the differential or varying
motion of the carriage may be obtained by driving the "long driver shaft"
from the worm shaft of the mule by means of bevil wheels of different
diameters which are connected to and drive the arrangement of "jack-in-the-
box," which gives motion to the "long driver" shaft, that is to say, the wheels
giving motion to the "jack-in-the-box" when the carriage commences "running
out" are of small diameter and quick speed, giving the carriage a quick
run" until half its distance is accomplished, at which time motion is given to
the "jack" and "lung driver" from the worm shaft through wheels of greater
diameters, consequently the speed of the carriage becomes diminished during
the remainder of its "run out," as required. The differential motion can also
be effected without the arrangement of "jack-in-the-box" to suit particular
work, in which case one or more cones are driven in connection with the "long
driver" and front spindles, thereby giving the required twist to the yarn.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent, filed
by the said John Knowles and James Banks in the Great Seal Patent
Office on the 4th July 1865.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, we, JOHN
KNOWLES, of Bolton, in the County of Lancaster, Spinner, and JAMES BANKS,
of Sharples, in the same County, Spinner, send greeting.
WHEREAS Iler most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her Letters
Patent, bearing date the Fourth day of January, in the year of our Lord
One thousand eight hundred and sixty-five, in the twenty-eighth year of
Her reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give and grant unto
us, the said John Knowles and James Banks, Her special license that we,
the said John Knowles and James Banks, our executors, administrators, and
assigns, or such others as we, the said John Knowles and James Banks, our
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

page_text: the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland, the Channel Islands, and
Isle of Man, an Invention for "CERTAIN IMPROVEMENTS IN MULES FOR SPINNING,"
upon the condition (amongst others) that we, the said John Knowles and James
Banks, our executors or administrators, by an instrument in writing under
our, or one of our, 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 immediately after
the date of the said Letters Patent.
NOW KNOW YE, that I, the said John Knowles, do hereby declare the
nature of the said Invention, and in what manner the same is to be performed,
to be particularly described and ascertained in and by the following statement
and accompanying Drawings (that is to say) :-
Our Invention relates to that portion of mechanism employed in hand or
self-acting mules by which the "run in" and out of the spindle carriage is
effected, and is designed to keep the yarn, whilst being spun, even and regular,
and also to impart greater strength when the spindle carriage is completing
its "run out." The improvements consist in imparting to the spindle carriage
of inules a differential or varying speed when running out, which commences
quickly and gradually diminishes in speed as the distance of the spindles from
the front rollers increases.
The effect may be produced by several mechanical arrangements, the method
which we most prefer being herein described. Upon the ordinary cam or
worm shaft of the mule, or in any other convenient position about the head-.
stock, one or more cones are arranged which, when caused to revolve, transmit,
through the medium of suitable bevil and "jack-in-the-box" gearing, a
differential motion to the "long driver" shaft of the mule which moves the
carriage; and also through such shaft motion is imparted to the rollers for
delivering the yarn by means of bevil wheels so as to suit the differential or
varying motion of the spindle carriage when "running out."
A second arrangement of apparatus for effecting the differential or varying
motion of the carriage may be obtained by driving the "long driver shaft" from
the worm shaft of the mule by means of bevil wheels of different diameters, which
are connected to and drive the arrangement of "jack-in-the-box," which gives
motion to the "long driver" shaft, that is to say, the wheels giving motion to
the "jack-in-the-box" when the carriage commences "running out" are of
small diameter and quick speed, giving the carriage a "quick run" until half
its distance is accomplished, at which time motion is given to the "jack" and
"long driver" from the worm shaft through wheels of a greater diameter, con-

page_text: sequently the speed of the carriage becomes diminished during the remainder
of its "run out," as required. The differential motion can also be effected
without the arrangement of "jack-in-the-box" to suit particular work, in
which case one or more cones are driven in connection with the long driver
and front spindles, thereby giving the required twist to the yarn.
In order that the Invention may be better understood and explained in
detail we have hereunto attached two Sheets of Drawings made upon a scale
of about two inches to the foot, similar letters of reference being marked upon
corresponding parts on all the Figures.
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35
In Sheet 1, Fig. 1 represents the side elevation of the mule "headstock,"
shewing the position of the cones and their connection with the diagonal
long driver" for giving a differential or varying speed to the front rollers
when delivering the roving, and also to the spindle carriage when running
out." Fig. 2 is a plan view of the same.
In Sheet 2, Fig. 1 represents a side elevation of a mule "headstock," and
illustrates another modification and arrangement of mechanism for giving a
differential or diminished speed to the spindle carriage when running out.
In Figs. 1 and 2, Sheet 1, a, a, is the framing of the mule headstock;
b, the carriage; c, the roller shaft; d, the driver; and e, the "scroll"
around which the rope coils when propelling the carriage during its run out,
all being ordinary well-known parts of mechanism in connection with the
mule "headstock;" f is a cone keyed on the driving shaft d, which drives the
cone g secured on the shaft h by means of the strap i; this strap is caused to
traverse the whole length of the cones by means of the strap fork k, thereby
giving to the driven cone g, as the strap is moved in the direction of the arrow,
an accelerated or increased speed. This increase in the speed takes place with
.every "run out" of the spindle carriage and governs or regulates the speed
of such carriage through the medium of mechanism in connection with the
driven cone g, as herein-after described. Upon one end of the cone shaft h is
secured a worm gearing into a worm wheel m; upon the shaft of this wheel
is a bevil wheel n gearing into another bevil wheel o secured on the diagonal
"long driver" shaft p. This "long driver" receives motion through the bevil
wheels 9 on the "rim band" shaft r when running the carriage out in the
ordinary manner. The speed of the "long driver" is governed and regulated
by the afore-mentioned cones and mechanism in conjunction with the "jack-
in-box" gearings on the diagonal "long driver" in such a manner that
the counter force or action of the "jack" (as the speed of the cone g is
accelerated) gives a gradually-diminishing speed to the bevil gearing t
actuating the roller shaft c, and also imparts, by means of such roller shaft

page_text: (through the gearing termed "gain wheels") a corresponding diminishing
speed to the scroll propelling the spindle carriage during its run out, thereby
improving the evenness and regularity of the yarn whilst being spun, and also
imparting to the yarn greater strength as the carriage recedes to its maximum
distance from the front rollers.
In Sheet 2, Fig. 1 illustrates another modification of mechanism to be
employed in place of the cones for obtaining an accelerated speed to act in
conjunction with the "jack" for diminishing the speed of the carriage when
running out, and also governing the delivery of the yarn from the front rollers,
the only difference in the present arrangement from the one already described
being the substitution of the disc v and the frictional sliding bowl or pulley w
instead of the cones f and g. The combined action of the disc v and frictional
bowl w may be thus described:-The spindle carriage when running out will
have one uniform speed until the projecting finger a, secured to a bracket on
such carriage, comes into contact with the stud fixed to the extreme end of
the lever y. At this time, as the carriage continues its run out, it forces, by
means of the rod, the friction bowl w along the grooved shaft a¹, that is,
when the projecting finger on the carriage first comes into contact with the
stud on the lever y the frictional bowl w is at the centre of the disc, conse-
quently revolving at its minimum speed; but as the carriage runs out and
forces back the lever y the frictional bowl w is caused to slide on the shaft a¹,
and its periphery along the surface of the disc v, and, consequently as it
aproaches the greater diameter of such disc it receives an accelerated or
increased speed, which being transmitted by means of the grooved shaft a¹ to
the worm regulates the revolution or speed of the diagonal long driver, and
so reduces the speed of the spindle carriage when running out, also at the
same time governs the delivery of the yarn from the front rollers, as previously
described. The friction bowl w, as the carriage runs in, is drawn to the centre
of the disc and the lever y is caused to assume its first position by means of
the weight b¹, and the differential motion of the carriage may be arranged to
commence at any portion of its run out by adjusting the distance between the
projecting finger on the carriage and the lever y.
Having now described the nature of the said Invention, together with the
method of carrying the same into practical effect, we wish it to be distinctly
understood that we claim,-
First, the novel arrangement, adaptation, and combination of that, part of
the mechanism, berein-before described and clearly exhibited in the Drawings
attached, which is to be employed for gradually diminishing the speed of the
carriage when running out, and also for governing the delivery of the roving

page_text: from the front rollers and giving thereby greater evenness and regularity to
the yarn, and which also effects an increase in the strength of such yarn as
the carriage gradually attains its extreme distance from the front rollers.
Secondly, I claim regulating or determining at what part of the "run
out" of the mule carriage the diminishing speed shall commence, by means of
the aforesaid and explained mechanism or other equivalent or modification.
And, lastly, I claim the apparatus for diminishing the speed of the carriage
and front rollers, consisting of the cones and mechanism connected therewith
without the employment and use of the "jack-in-box," as herein-before
described, set forth, and fully illustrated in the Drawings attached.
In witness whereof, I, the said Jolin Knowles, have hereunto set my
hand and seal, this Thirtieth day of June, in the year of our Lord One
thousand eight hundred and sixty-five.
JOHN KNOWLES. (L.S.)