IMPROVEMENTS IN THE PRODUCTION OF RAW AND THROWN SILK,
Year: 1854

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to William Prior Sharp and William Weild, both of
the City of Manchester, and County of Lancaster, Machinists, for the
Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN THE PRODUCTION OF RAW AND THROWN SILK,
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said William Prior Sharp and
William Weild at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with their
Petition, on the 8th September 1854
We, WILLIAM PRIOR SHARP and WILLIAM WEILD, both of the City of
Manchester, and County of Lancaster, Machinists, do hereby declare the
nature of the said Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN THE PRODUCTION OF RAW
AND THROWN SILK, AND IN MACHINERY AND APPARATUS TO BE USED FOR THE
PURPOSE," to be as follows:-
The first part of our Invention consists in an improved mode of reeling
cocoons into hanks or skeins, in which the filaments of a number of cocoons
are caused to combine together when going on to the reel by passing through
the interior of a revolving tube, and in which at the same time the threads or
filaments are subjected to a process of cleaning, by passing over a cloth-cover
clearer and metallic edges, similar to the arrangement described in the
Specification of a Patent granted to John Bird, dated Twentieth day of March,
in the year of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and fifty-four, No. 653.

page_text: And our Invention further consists in using a seperate reel or swift for each
hank or skein, of such construction that they may be transferred when the
hank or skein is wound upon them to the ordinary winding machine, or to
The
those described in the Specification of the Patent before referred to.
reels or swifts here referred to may be provided with holes through their axis
in such manner that a number of them may be put upon the same shaft
loosely, but so as to be revolved by friction on the revolving shaft; or they may
be swifts similar to those used in the processes at present practised in winding
hanks, with the axis or nave arranged so that light friction pullies may be
fitted to them when they are to be used for reeling, by which they will be
revolved when resting on corresponding friction pullies. If the hanks or
skeins made by one cocoon-winding frame are all wound at the same time
on one reel, they will have to be removed from it in a loose state, and it may
be found advisable to remove those hanks wound on separate reels as well, so
that they may be transferred to more suitable swifts for winding. In this
respect our Invention consists in taking certain precautions before the hanks
or skeins are removed from the reels or swifts, by which the parallelism of the
threads forming the hanks will be preserved in the same position as when on
the reel, by which means the threads will be prevented from getting entangled
in the removal from the reel to the swift for winding. The precautions
referred to are apparatus to pince the threads of the hank at two or more
places before it is disturbed, which apparatus (to secure this purpose with still
more certainty) may be provided with comb teeth, to be inserted across the
hank, the points of the teeth being covered in such a way as to press the
threads in them. When the apparatus have been applied and the hanks
removed, they may then be taken and placed upon the swift, and, when
properly straightened ready for winding, the combs or pincing apparatus may
then be removed. In transferring banks or skeins from a reel to a swift for
winding, our Invention further consists in using, to preserve the parallelism of
the threads, a machine or apparatus having as many pins as there are bars in
the swifts or reels employed. These pins may be arranged on screws radiating
from a centre and geered together by bevel wheels, so that the pins may be
brought simultaneously inwards or outwards, so that the reel having the hank
to be removed from it may be placed over the pins, which may then be
expanded till the reel can be withdrawn, and a swift suitable for winding
may then be put in the place of the reel removed, and the pins then brought
inward.
The second part of our Invention consists in applying cloth-covered
clearers and metallic edges, similar to that arrangement herein-before referred

page_text: to, as described in the Specification of the Patent granted to John Bird,
herein-before mentioned, for cleaning the filaments of the cocoon to machines
of the character of the mule spinning machine, as described in the Specifica-
tion of a Patent granted to John Hill, senior, and John Hill, junior, No. 2723,
in the year of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and fifty-three, where
the filaments are wound directly from the cocoons and twisted, the arrangement
being placed at at a convenient point to act upon the filaments or thread after
leaving the cocoon trough, and before they receive twist.
The third part of our Invention consists in making the reels upon which the
thread is wound into hanks in machines for spinning and throwing, in sectional
parts, similar to those referred to in the first part of our Invention, when all.
the sections are on one shaft, so that there will be one distinct section to each
end, by which arrangement each section may be stopped to piece an end;
without interfering with the other sections.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent, filed
by the said William Prior Sharp and William Weild in the Great Seal
Patent Office on the 7th March 1855.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, we, WILLIAM
PRIOR SHARP and WILLIAM WEILD, both of the City of Manchester and
County of Lancaster, Machinists, send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her Letters
Patent, bearing date the Eighth day of September, in the year of our Lord
One thousand eight hundred and fifty-four, in the eighteenth year of
Her reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give and grant unto
us, the said William Prior Sharp and William Weild, our executors, admi-
nistrators, and assigns, or such others as we, the said William Prior Sharp
and William Weild, our executors, administrators, and assigns, should at any
time agree with, and no others, from time to time and at all times there-
after 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 "IMPROVE-
MENTS IN THE PRODUCTION OF RAW AND THROWN SILK, AND MACHINERY AND
APPARATUS TO BE USED FOR THE PURPOSE," upon the condition (amongst others)
that we, the said William Prior Sharp and William Weild, by an instrument.
in writing under our hands and seals, should particularly describe and ascer-

page_text: tain 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 we, the said William Prior Sharp and William
Weild, do hereby declare the nature of our said Invention, and in what
manner the same is to be performed, to be particularly described and ascer-
tained in and by the following statement and accompanying Drawings, that
is to say:
The first part of our Invention relates to an improved mode of reeling
cocoons into hanks or skeins, the objects of which are, firstly, arrangements
or causing the filaments of as many cocooms as are required to be combined
together to adhere to each other while going on to the reel, which arrange-
ments consist in passing the filaments from the cocoons to be combined together
through a revolving tube, acting in the manner of the tubes used in the
machine for the preparing of slivers of cotton known as "Dyer's tubo frame."
Secondly, arrangements for subjecting the threads or filaments while being
reeled to a process of cleaning, which arrangements consist in causing the
filaments or threads to pass over cloth-covered clearers and metallic edges.
Thirdly, arrangements for facilitating the process of winding banks or skeins
produced by the cocoon-reeling machine by preventing the threads composing
them from getting entangled with each other, which arrangements consist in
employing for each hank or skein a separate réel or swift, of such construction
that they may be transferred when the hank or skein is wound upon them
from the cocoon-reeling machine to the winding machine; or they consist,
when the banks or skeins are to be removed from the reel or swift upon which
they are wound by cocoon-reeling machines, in taking certain precautions in
removing them, by which the parallelism of the threads forming each hank or
skein will be preserved in removing, and, when removed from the reel or swift,
in the same position and order in which they were reeled. The precautions
referred to consist in the use of instruments or apparatus to pince the threads
of the hanks, say, at two or more places before it is disturbed, which apparatus,
to accomplish this purpose with still more certainty, may be provided with
comb teeth to be inserted across the hank, the points of the teeth being
afterwards covered in such manner as to press the threads between them.
When the instruments or apparatus have been applied, and the hanks removed
from the reels or swifts, they may then be taken and placed upon the swift for
winding; the combs, pincing instruments, or apparatus being then removed, the
hank being first properly straightened. In transferring hanks or skeins from

page_text: a recl to a swift for winding, the parallelism of the threads may also be
preserved by using an apparatus or machine having as many pins as there
are bars in the swifts or reels employed in the cocoon-reeling machine, which
pins are arranged in a table or frame, so that on the reel being placed over
the pins they may be simultaneously forced outwards to expand the hank till
the reel can be withdrawn, and then be allowed to come inwards when
replaced by a suitable swift for winding. In explaining more particularly the
modes of carrying this part of our Invention into effect, we shall refer to the
two Sheets of Drawings hereunto annexed. Fig. 1, Sheet 1, is an end elevation
of a machine for reeling cocoons; Fig. 2, a front elevation; (the same letters
and figures of reference will be repeated on the same or corresponding parts in
each Figure of the Drawings.) A is the framing of the machine; a is the
trough in which the cocoons are placed to be wound; it is made with a double
bottom to form a compactment (a) from end to end of it, into which steam
or other heating agent is conveyed by a pipe a' (the amount being regulated
by a cock a³), to keep the water in the trough at the temperature favorable
to the unwinding of the cocoons; the filaments, which are to be combined
together, pass against the cloth-covered clearer b and between the cleaning
edges b', secured to the rail 6, and then through the tube d, in the same
manner in which the sliver passes through the tube used in the machine known
as "Dyer's tube frame," before referred to. The tube d works in bearings
in brackets d', which are secured to the rail d³, and revolving motion is con-
veyed to it from a roller e, by bands passing round it, and a warf fixed on the
tube. On leaving the tube d, the thread or combined filaments pass through
the eye d³, then to another eye f¹, fixed in the traverse bar f, and on to the
reel (h). The traverse bar f spreads the thread over the surface of the reel or
reels by a reciprocating movement, which is conveyed to it by a lever f², which
has its falcrum f in a bracket secured to the frame, its upper end having a
slot formed in it, which takes on to a pin fixed in the traverse bar, the lever
(f) receiving its reciprocating movement from an "heart wheel " or cam (*),
that acts against a friction bowl on the lever f, which is kept against the heart
wheel by a spring or weight. The cam f' is keyed on one end of a short shaft,
which works in a bracket f, secured to the frame, the other end having a worm
wheelf fixed upon it, which receives revolving motion, and thus imparts it to
the cam from a worm, with which it geers on the drum or first motion shaft e¹.
A pinion e, fixed on the end of the first motion shaft e¹, gives motion to a
whicel 9, which is fixed on one end of a short shaft g', (working through a boss
on the framing,) on the other end of which a pulley g³ is fixed, which gives
motion to revolve the reels by the friction of contact with a pulley g³, keyed on
.

page_text: to the shaft (h), carrying the reels. The bearing of the reel shaft at that
end at which the friction pulley g³ is placed is made to slide vertically, motion
being conveyed to it by a rod i, one end of which is attached to it, the other
end being attached to a lever k, having its falcrum () on a bracket, which is
secured to the frame. This lever forms the stop handle, and is made elastic
from the fulcrum to the handle, to give an horizontal action to pass the
strap, giving motion to the machine from the fast to the loose pulley
(marked PP), the lever k being connected by a rod l with the strap lever l',
which has its fulcrum at P. When the machine is at work the stop handle k
is held in a notch in the bracket (as shewn), and when lifted out of the
notch the elastic force of the handle causes the strap to be passed from the
fast to the loose pulley, and at the same time the spring k pulls the handle or
lover & downwards, causing it to raise the end of the reel shaft, lifting the
friction pulley out of contact with the revolving pulley g, and into contact
or against a segment g', fixed to the framing above it, which acts as a break to
instantly stop the revolving of the reel shaft g³.
In explaining the machine shewn by Figs. 1 and 2, we have particularly
described the arrangements and mechanism by which we carry into effect the
first and second objects of this part of our Invention, and we have next to
describe particularly the arrangements and mechanism by which the third
object of this part of our Invention may be accomplished; one method of
carrying which into effect being, as before stated, by the use of a separate reel
or swift for each hank or skein, the construction of one of which is exhibited
detached by Figures 3 and 4, which will be understood by inspection. The naves
of the reels or swifts are made with holes through them, so that they may be
passed on to the shaft h', being sufficiently tight to give the amount of friction
required to revolve them. When the reels are removed with the hanks upon
them, an axis (shewn by Fig. 5) is placed in the hole through the nave, having
pivots at each end, by which means the reel is made suitable for the winding
machine. Figs. 14, 15, and 16, Sheet 2, exhibit the pincing apparatus, and
Fig. 18 its application; Fig. 14 exhibits a side view of the comb apparatus ;
Fig. 15, an end view. m is the comb bar, made of hard wood or metal; m' is
the upper bar, which may be of the same material, forming a cap to press the
threads of the bank (a, Fig. 13,) between the teeth; m² are links or hoops
for keeping the two bars together when applied to the hanks (see Fig. 13).
Fig. 16 shews an end view of an instrument without teeth, which acts by
pincing the threads.. These pincing bars may be rendered more effective by
covering them with india-rubber or other elastic material, or by cementing a
piece of elastic material m³ to one of them, as shewn by dotted line in Fig. 16.

page_text: As before stated, Fig.13 shews the application of these instruments to a hank æ,
in which state they may be placed to dry, or placed in stock till required to be
wound. Figs. 17 and 18 shew respectively a sectional side view and plan of
apparatus which may be used for transferring the banks or skeins from the
reels on which they are reeled in the cocoon machine to others more suitable
for the winding machines without disturbing the parallelism or order of the
threads, though we prefer the arrangements and apparatus already described
for accomplishing this object. n is a stem or leg upon which the table n¹ is
fixed. This table has as many slots in it as there are bars in the swifts or
reels employed; into each of the slots a slide piece p is fitted, on the under side
of which pins p' are fixed, which each fit into incline slots (shewn in dotted
line) in a plate r, having its axis free to revolve on the boss of the table n',
and an handle projecting from it, the moving of which backwards and
forwards will cause the slide pièces to be brought simultaneously inwards
and outwards. On the upper side of each slide piece one or two pins p³ may
be fixed, equal to the bars of the swift or reel in length. (Two pins are shewn.)
When the pins or slide pieces are brought inwards, the swift or reel h, from
which the hank is to be transferred, is placed over them in the manner shewn
in Figs. 17 and 18, one bar of the swift between each of the two pins p².
The slides are then brought outwards by moving the handle, expanding the
hank sufficient to allow of the removal of the reel or swift, when another is put
in its place suitable for the winding frame, when the slides are brought inwards,
and the transfer is completed. If one pin is only used in each slide, the bars
of the swifts should be broad enough to allow of a groove being cut in the
middle of them (see p³, Fig. 18), so that when the swifts or reels are placed
over the pins they may pass into the grooves formed in the bars. Fig. 11
shews an end elevation, and Fig. 12 a front elevation, of the cocoon reeling
machines made according to another arrangement, in which the process of
cleaning is not performed, (being accomplished in subsequent operations,) and
in which the filaments of cocoons to be combined together are caused to adhere
to each other by the method of "crossing," as practised abroad, but in which
the arrangement of a separate reel or swift is adapted for each hank or skein,
for the purpose herein-before described. The cocoon trough is constructed as
before explained. In describing Figs. 1 and 2, the filaments of the cocoons to
be combined are collected together by eyes 8, formed in or fixed to wires bent
in the shape shewn, which are secured to the cross rail be. The crossing of
the threads from two adjoining sets of cocoons is effected between the eyes s
and the eyes st, formed or carried on wires bent in the spiral form, fixed to
the cross rail d²; from the latter eyes the threads pass through eyes f¹ in the

page_text: traverse bar f, and then on to the reels or swifts h. It will be seen by Fig. 12
that arrangements of two swifts or reels on one shaft can be added to any con-
venient extent by making corresponding additions to the cocoon trough, the
first motion shaft, and traverse bar. The first motion shaft e' has a friction
pulley fixed upon it for each pair of reels (h), which give revolving motion by
contact with the pulley ', fixed on the end of each reel shaft h'. One end of
each reel is arranged in a bearing, so that the pulley can be lifted out of
contact with the pulley g' on the first motion shaft (e¹), and into contact with
the break segment g', which is done by an arrangement of lever (k) and rod (i)
connected with the bearing of the shaft of the reel h', as explained in Figs. 1
and 2, when the lever is pulled off the notch on which it is latched by the
force of the spring ; but in this machine the lever is unconnected with the
strap lever, for moving the strap P, giving revolving motion to the first
motion shaft on the fast and loose pulleys e³, as it is not necessary to stop
the reels in this machine, as they are independent of each other. The shafts h'
for the reels in this arrangement have collars or shoulders formed on them at
one end, and an arrangement of screw nuts at the other, by which the bosses
or naves of the reels may be screwed sufficiently tight against each other, (an
india-rubber washer or other elastic medium being placed between the screw
nuts and the boss or nave of one of the reels,) to give the necessary amount of
friction to revolve them. Motion is conveyed from a drum cam f' by a lever f'
(having its fulcrum on a bracket secured to the framing) to the traverse
bar f, the cam receiving its revolving motion by toothed wheels from the first
motion shaft, and acting upon a friction bowl on the end of the lever f.
The second part of our Invention relates to machinery for spinning threads
of silk directly from the cocoon in the manner and by the machinery described
in the Specification of a Patent granted to John Hill, senior, and John Hill,
junior, No. 2723, in the year of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and
fifty-three, and consists in applying to such machinery cloth-covered clearers
and metallic edges for cleaning the filaments or thread as it is unwound from
the cocoon. The manner in which these are applied will be understood by
reference to Figs. 1 and 2, and the description herein-before given; the
covered clearer and edges being placed at any convenient point between the
cocoon trough and the rollers, or other apparatus for pincing the threads, whilo
they are wound on the cop after being twisted.
The third part of our Invention relates to machines for twisting silk threads
and winding them on to reels, such as the machines known as " throwing
mills." In these machines, when a thread breaks it has to be knotted while
the reel is revolving, which requires considerable dexterity on the part of the

page_text: attendants. It will be seen, therefore, that the speed at which the reels can
be revolved will be limited by, and will depend upon, the dexterity of the
"hands." And this part of our Invention consists in making the reels for the
machines before referred to in sections, one for each hank or thread, so
arranged that any of them may be stopped to piece a thread or end without
interfering with or stopping the other sections. With reels made in the
manner referred to, they may be revolved at a much greater speed than is
generally given to them at present for certain threads, and will require less
skilful attendants. Figs. 6, 7, and 8 shew the manner in which these reels
may be constructed. Fig. 6 shews the side view of one mode of construction;
Fig. 8, a similar view of another mode of construction; the edge views of both
modes being shewn on Fig. 7. Both modifications may be made of wood. One
arm of the one shewn in Fig. 6 is made in the socket form, so that on the
removal of the pin t' the arm may be moved in the socket towards the nave to
slacken the hank sufficiently to allow of its removal. The arms of the reel
shewn by Fig. 8 are made out of flat wood, separate from each other, each
having a hole in the part corresponding to the nave. The arm marked 1 is the
centre one, and the arm marked 2 is placed on one side, and the arm marked 3
on the other side of it. When in use they are retained in the position shewn
in Fig. 8; when on the shaft w, by a pin t¹ passing through them, as shewn in
Fig. 7; but when the hanks are to be removed, the pin t' is withdrawn, and
the hank is slackened by bringing the arms marked 2 and 3 close to the arm
marked 1. The manner in which the reels are arranged on the shafts is as
follows:-The shaft w is grooved from end to end, and between each reel on
the shaft a washer w¹ (shewn by Fig. 9 and 10) is placed a tongue w³, formed
in each washer, fitting into the longitudinal groove in the shaft, by which the
washers are made to revolve with the shaft, and, as the washers form a sepa-
ration between each swift, the stoppage of any of them will not affect the
revolving of the others. When the sections are all placed on the shaft w, a
washer box us is placed against the boss or nave part of the last sectional reel,
in which a spring or ring of india-rubber or other clastic material is placed,
against which the boss of the wheel w, that gives motion to the shaft of the
reel, is screwed by a nut w, to force the sectional reels sufficiently tight against
cach other to give the amount of friction required to revolve them, but leaving
them sufficiently free to allow them to be stopped by the attendants to piece
a thread.
Having now particularly described the nature of our Invention, and the
modes in which it may be carried into effect, we wish it to be understood that
we do not confine ourselves to the details herein described, which may be

page_text: variously modified without departing from the peculiar characteristics of our
Invention; but claim as our Invention, and as secured to us by the in part
recited Letters Patent,-
Firstly, the use in cocoon reeling machines of cloth-covered clearers and
metallic edges, revolving tubes through which the filaments of the cocoons are
passed, separate reels or swifts for cach hank or skein, combs or pincing
instruments, and bank or skein transferring apparatus, when used in the manner
and for the purpose herein-before described in the first part of our Invention.
Secondly, we claim as our Invention the application of cloth-covered clearers
and metallic edges to such machines, and for such purposes as herein-before
described in the second part of our Invention.
Thirdly, we claim as our Invention the application and adaptation of
sectional or detached reels to such machines, and in the manner and for such
purpose as herein-before described in the third part of our Invention.
In witness whereof, we, the said William Prior Sharp and William
Weild, have hereunto set our hands and seals, this Sixth day of
March, in the year of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and
fifty-five.
W P. SHARP. (L.S.)
W. WEILD.
(L.S.)