IMPROVEMENTS IN MACHINERY FOR SPINNING FIBROUS MATERIALS.
Year: 1868

page_text: ETTERS PATENT to William Robert Lake, of the "International
Patent Office," No. 8, Southampton Buildings, Chancery Lane, in
the County of Middlesex, Consulting Engineer, for the Invention
of "IMPROVEMENTS IN MACHINERY FOR SPINNING FIBROUS MATERIALS.".
A communication from abroad by Charles Jenkins Harris, of
Warren, Rhode Island, and Edwin Holmes Bugbee, of Killingly,
Connecticut, both in the United States of America.
-
Scaled the 9th October 1868, and dated the 30th April 1868.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said William Robert Lake
at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition,
on the 30th April 1868.
I, WILLIAM ROBERT LAKE, of the "International Patent Office,"
No. 8, Southampton Buildings, Chancery Lane, in the County of
Middlesex, Consulting Engineer, do hereby declare the nature of the
said Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN MACHINERY POR SPINNING FIBROUS
MATERIALS," a communication, to be as follows:-
The Invention herein described relates to machinery for spinning
fibrous materials from the roving into thread or yarn, and consists in

page_text: certain improvements hereafter to be described, the end of which is to
combine in one machine the capacity of the "flyer frame spinner" to
produce fine and evenly-twisted yarns of high numbers with the
capacity of production which distinguishes the "ring spinner."
The apparatus employed is substantially as follows in the essential
parts which the improvements embrace. A description of our spindle
will be the same as for all employed in the frame. It is to be under-
stood also that with the exception of the feature in which the improve-
ments reside the other parts of the machinery may be constructed,
arranged, and have motion communicated to the operative parts in any
way preferred.
A spindle of ordinary construction is properly stepped and bolstered
in a frame, but no pulley or "whur" is attached to it as it is not
driven by the direct application of power, but its movement is
incidental only to the effect of the whirling flyer, and of the device
for winding the yarn upon the bobbin which such spindle carries.
Surrounding the spindle is a hollow tube which is properly bolstered,
and should have a sufficient amount of bearing surface in the frame to
ensure perfect steadiness of movement. To this tube is attached a
driving pulley, and a rapid rotatory movement is given to it. The
upper end of this revolving tube is furnished with a flyer of peculiar
construction. This flyer consists of a cylindrical barrel of thin metal
of sufficient length and internal diameter to accomodate a bobbin of
the usual size, which is placed on the end of the spindle, and which
bobbin the said cylindrical flyer surrounds; to the top rim of the flyer
is hinged an arm of wire furnished at its end with a guiding eye for the
yarn. This arm is so hinged to the rim of the flyer as to allow of its
being moved away from the bobbin when it is desired to doff the same
or to set a bobbin on the spindle. The joint of the hinge should be so
constructed that when such arm is in proper position for the machine
to operate the eye in the end of the same should be directly over the
spindle, and its centre in the line of the axis of the spindle. It will
thus be understood that the arm should stand at an angle with the
axis of the spindle so as to describe as the flyer revolves the the figure
of a cone.
11
In order that the yarn after it has been spun may be wound upon
..
1
13

page_text: length of which is as great as the core of the bobbin. It will be well
also to cut an opening of the same size opposite to the one last
mentioned, in order to balance the flyer by equally distributing its
weight.
The traverse rail to which an up-and-down movement is given in
the proper manner, as is well understood, is combined with what
may be called a travelling traverse arm for each flyer. This traverse
arm consists of a wire furnished with an eye for guiding the yarn
at its extremity, and is attached to a block which is mounted in the
traverse rail in proper guides so as to travel in a circular path in the
rail by a motion derived from the flyer, a short arm projecting from
the side of the block and entering a longitudinal narrow slit cut in
the side of the said flyer. As the traverse rail is moved back and
forth parallel with the axes of the bobbins the several traverse blocks
are moved along the sides of the cylindrical flyers, and whirl with
them; their arms with the guiding eyes for the yarn standing over the
opening cut in the side of the flyer before referred to, and traversing
the surface of the bobbins wind the yarn upon them in a well understood
way.
It will be seen that the flyer and the spindle do not change position
with respect to each other, and that a much greater rapidity of movement
can therefore be safely given to the flyer without causing it to run
"out of truth" than if it changed its position with reference to the
spindle while the operation of spinning was going on. It will be further
understood that the roving is to be conducted in a well-known way from
the feed rollers to the eye in the end of the arm which is hinged to the
side of the flyer; and in order to bring such roving to the flyer arm
described in a line coincident with the axis of the spindle guides of
common construction are arranged to stand directly over the cyes in the
flyer arms beneath them. Only that portion of the roving receives the
twist which is located between the eye in the flyer arm and the delivery
rollers.
It will be understood by those familiar with spinning machinery that
the roving being spun by a flyer which receives the yarn at a "dead
point" or one in a line with the axis of the flyer will not be during the
spinning operation moved out of its direct path of travel. Not being
therefore subjected to any of the disturbing influences incident to the
gyratory motion which is given to the roving while it is twisted in

page_text: other spinning machines the twist given to the yarn must be perfectly
regular and uniform. The whole arrangement and structure of the
parts thus enabling the roving to be held while being spun, as described,
in combination with the arrangement of the flyer with the spindle gives
to the machinery a capacity in point of excellence of work produced b
equal to that of the flyer frame, and in point of quantity of production
a capacity equal to that of the "ring spinner."
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent
filed by the said William Robert Lake in the Great Seal Patent
Office on the 28th October 1868.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, WILLIAM
ROBERT LAKE, of the "International Patent Office," No. 8, South-
ampton Buildings, Ohancery Lane, in the County of Middlesex,
Consulting Engineer, send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by .Her
Letters Patent, bearing date the Thirtieth day of April, in the year
of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and sixty-eight, in the thirty-
first year of Her reign, did for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give
and grant unto me, the said William Robert Lake, Her special licence
that I, the said William Robert Lake, my executors, administrators,
and assigns, or such others as I, the said William Robert Lake, 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 MACHINERY FOR SPINNING FIBROUS MATERIALS," upon
the condition (amongst others) that I, the said William Robert
Lake, 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 immediately after the date of the said Letters Patent.

page_text: NOW KNOW YE, that I, the said William Robert Lake, 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, reference being had to the accompanying
Drawing forming a part of this Specification:-
My Invention relates to machinery for spinning fibrous materials
from suitably prepared roving into thread or yarn, and embodies
certain improvements the end of which is to exhibit in the same
machine all the capacity of the flyer frame spinning machine to
manufacture fine and evenly-twisted yarns of high numbers and grade
with all the rapidity of production which characterises the ring spinning
frame.
The distinguishing features of the said improvements may be said to
consist partly in the employment of a flyer of peculiar construction in
combination with a spindle, which flyer and spindle do not change
during the filling of the bobbin their relative positions; also in the
employment of a peculiar device in combination with the flyer for pre-
senting the material to be spun to the action of the flyer, which shall
cause the same while being twisted and until converted into thread or
yarn to pursue a line of travel which is free from any gyratory move-
ment.
The apparatus employed is substantially as follows in the essential
parts in which the improvements reside. A description of the Invention
as applied to a single spindle must be understood to be the same for all
the other spindles in a frame; in all other respects too, where not other-
wise mentioned, it is to be implied that the machine is to be constructed,
arranged, and have motion communicated to the operating parts in
any way preferred to be employed by constructors of spinning
machinery

page_text: view of a portion of the traverse rail and the traverse block and arm
connected therewith.
Figure 5 is a side view of a portion of the flyer and traverse rail,
also a view of the traverse block and arm.
"
A spindle A of ordinary construction is properly stepped and bolstered
in a suitable frame B; upon its upper end it carries a bobbin in the
usual way.
The spindle is of the class technically known as "dead
spindles or those which are not driven by the direct application of
power, but whose movement is incident only to the movement of their
flyers. Surrounding the spindle A. is the hollow flyer shaft or spindle D,
which is properly bolstered, and should have a sufficient extent of
journal bearing surface in the frame B to ensure perfect steadiness of
movement under all conditions of speed. The upper end of this flyer
shaft is furnished with a flyer of peculiar construction. It consists of
a cylindrical barrel a of thin metal with the apertures herein-after
mentioned, and is of sufficient length and internal diameter to accomo-
date the bobbin upon the spindle. This flyer is caused to revolve with
great rapidity about the spindle, but unlike all other flyers it always
revolves in the same plane relatively to the bobbin, whereby all the
disturbances incidental to a shifting or variable extent of bearing are
avoided, and the highest practicable number of turns can be given to it
without ill effects.
In order that the roving or yarn to be spun may be presented
to the flyer in a line coincident with the axis of the spindle there
is hinged to the top rim of the flyer an arm 6 furnished at its end
with a guiding eye c for the yarn. This arm is hinged instead
of being rigidly attached to the flyer for convenience in doffing the
filled bobbin or setting an empty one upon the spindle. The joint of
the hinge which attaches the arm to the flyer should be so constructed
that when such arm is in the proper position for the spinning of yarn
the eye in the end of the same will be directly over the axis of the
spindle, and consequently the arm will stand at an angle with the line
of the axis of the spindle produced (as seen in Figure 1), so as to
describe as the flyer revolves the figure of a cone. It will be advisable
also to secure the arm in its position by a spring latch, as seen at x.
As has been already stated the flyer constantly revolves in the same
plane. In order that the yarn may be wound upon the bobbin the
traverse rail E, Figures 4 and 5, instead of being connected with the

page_text: flyer is connected with a device which may be called a travelling
traverse arm, and gives to the same a movement up and down parallel
with the core of the bobbin independent of the movement in a circle
which it obtains from the flyer. In the present instance the said
traverse arm & furnished with a thread guide at its end projects in a
curved line concentric with the flyer from a traverse block e, which
block is furnished with a groove so as to embrace the circular edge
of the plate F let into the top of the traverse rail, and a lip f, Figure 4,
projecting from such block enters a longitudinal slit i in the flyer,
extending the whole length of the range of motion of the traverse rail.
Obviously the traverse block and its arm & will revolve with the flyer
in a circular path, while the plane in which it revolves will be controlled
by the traverse rail, the flyer revolving in a constant plane.
To allow the thread to run from the hook on the end of the traverse
arm & to the bobbin a longitudinal opening g should be made in the side
of the flyer extending the whole length of, the bobbin; and in order to
distribute equally about its axis the weight of metal in the flyer it will
be well to balance it by removing a piece of metal of corresponding size
from the side of the flyer opposite to the aperture g. It is also to be
understood that the material to be spun is to be conducted in a well-
known way from the delivery rollers to the eye c in the end of the
flyer arm b; and in order to bring the same to the said eye in a
line coincident with the axis of the flyer produced guides of common
construction are arranged to stand directly over the eyes in the flyer
arms. As only that portion of the roving receives the twist which is
located between the eye in the flyer arm and the delivery rollers it
will be apparent to all familiar with spinning machinery that if con-
ducted as above described the yarn while receiving its twist will travel
in a dead line, or, in other words, a line which is free from any gyratory
motion.
Having thus fully described the said Invention as communicated to
me by my foreign correspondents, and shown how the same may be
conveniently and advantageously carried into practice, I claim,-
First. A cylindrical flyer a with a thread guiding arm 6 hinged thereto,
constructed substantially as herein described.
Second. Arranging a flyer constructed as described with the spindle A.
to which it appertains, so that the relation of the two shall remain

page_text: unchanged by causing both to remain in fixed planes during the
spinning operation and the winding up of the bobbin, substantially as
herein described.
Third. The combination of the flyer a, arm b, the independent
traverse arm d, and the block e, substantially as and for the purposes
specified.
In witness whereof, I, the said William Robert Lake, have here-
unto set my hand and seal, this Twenty-eighth day of October,
in the year of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and sixty-
eight.
WILLIAM ROBERT LAKE. (L.S.)
Witness,
THOS. N. PALMER,
Clerk to Messrs. Haseltine, Lake, & Co.,
8, Southampton Buildings,
W.O..