IMPROVEMENTS IN MACHINES FOR DOUBLING COTTON AND OTHER FIBROUS MATERIALS
Year: 1866

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to John Harding, of the Woodeaves Cotton Mills,
Tissington, in the County of Derby, Cotton Spinner, for the Invention of
"IMPROVEMENTS IN MACHINES FOR DOUBLING COTTON AND OTHER FIBROUS
MATERIALS."
Sealed the 18th April 1867, and dated the. 18th November 1866.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said John Harding at the
Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on the
18th November 1866.
I, JOHN HARDING, of the Woodeaves Mill, Tissington, in the County of
Derby, Cotton Spinner, do hereby declare the nature of the said Invention
for "IMPROVEMENTS IN MACHINES FOR DOUBLING COTTON AND OTHER FIBROUS
MATERIALS," to be as follows:-
The object of my Invention is to obtain a greater drag or strain upon the
yarn to be doubled without breaking it than heretofore, and also to prevent
waste or other extraneous matter being doubled into the yarn or threads, which
through being broken become disengaged from one flyer, getting entangled in
the threads, of the next.
In performing the first part of my Invention I dispense with the present
fixed creel and use instead thereof a beam hinging on an upright or on a rail
running the whole length of the frame; to one end of which is attach a creel
or cop stand close to the rollers, and on the other end is fixed a balance weight

page_text: to keep the creel or cop stand in the required position, and in order to
maintain this position as the cops on the creel become lighter by the yarn
being wound from them I place a compensating moveable weight on the
beam, which by means of a catch fixed on a revolving endless band passing
over pullies is pushed forwards towards the creel as it becomes lighter, and
rises from the diminished weight of the cops until the beam regains its proper
position, at which time the compensating weight is beyond the action of the
catch; by thus keeping the creel close to the rollers and in the proper position
I am enable to obtain a greater drag or strain on the yarn to be doubled than
heretofore, and to regulate the amount of drag I use a right and left handed
screw connecting the beam and the creel together, by turning which the creel
can be inclined as much as is desired. I also place a collar of woollen or
other material on the cop skewer near to the bottom, which by friction against
a projection in the creel not only increases the drag but causes the cop to
unwind in a steady and regular manner. Instead of the two rollers placed
one above the other, as now customary, I use four, five, or six, but not less
than four.
In performing the second part of my Invention I cover the flyer, except a
little part of it at its curl end, with a box of peculiar construction, and only
leave a small portion of the doubling bobbin exposed; when an end breaks
the act of opening this box to gain access to the flyer sets at liberty a lever,
which acting with great pressure on the warve of the spindle stops it revolving
until the thread is pieced when the closing of the box again acting on the
lever removes the pressure from the warve of the spindle. The isolation of
the flyer in the box prevents waste or other extraneous matter being doubled
into the yarn, and also threads, which through breakage might become
disengaged from one flyer getting entangled in the threads of the next
Ain
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent, filed
by the said John Harding in the Great Seal Patent Office on the 80
10th May 1867.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, JOHN
HARDING, of the Woodeaves Cotton Mills, Tissington, in the County of Derby,
Cotton Spinner, send greeting.
: WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her Letters 85
Patent, bearing date the Thirteenth day of November, in the year of our Lord

page_text: One thousand eight hundred and sixty-six, in the thirtieth year of Her
reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give and grant unto me,
the said John Harding, Her special license that I, the said John Harding,
my executors, administrators, and assigns, or such others as I, the . said
John Harding, 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
MACHINES FOR DOUBLING COTTON AND OTHER FIBROUS SUBSTANCES," upon the
condition (amongst others) that I, the said John Harding, 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.
NOW KNOW YE, that I, the said John Harding, do hereby declare the
nature of my 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):-
In the present mode of doubling two or more yarns or threads into one the
yarns either wound on cops or bobbins are placed in a creel, in the centre of
the frame, which creel is raised some little higher than the body of the frame.
As the yarns unwind from the cops they pass through water and then between
the rollers at the side of the frame, and from the rollers to the flyer, there being.
a considerable distance between the cops and the rollers.
The object of my Invention is twofold; first, by bringing the cops as close
as possible to the rollers I am enabled to use a far greater drag or strain upon
the yarn without breaking it than can be done under the present system;
secondly, by using a box of peculiar construction I completely envelope the
flyer, except a little at the curl end, thus preventing loose waste from
being introduced in the doubling, and in case a thread breaks rendering it
impossible for that thread to become entangled with a neighbouring flyer, and
to produce three or four fold doubling where two-fold only is required.
The nature of my Invention consists in supporting each of the cops from
which the yarn to be doubled is unwound in a balanced beam or lever or
frame, the cops being placed close to the rollers and at liberty to move up.
and down as the yarns are drawn off.

page_text: Secondly, in the use of three or more rollers placed one above the other for
drawing the yarn off the cops.
Thirdly, in an improved arrangement of mechanism for lifting the top
rollers, and thereby stopping the delivery of the yarn when an end breaks; also
in an improved mode of applying a break to check the momentum of the
spindle and flyer.
And, lastly, in the application of a box or case to each flyer to prevent the
loose waste collecting on, the, doubled yarn, and to prevent broken ends
becoming entangled with the adjacent threads.
And in order that my Invention may be fully understood and readily carried
into operation, I will proceed to describe the accompanying Drawing, in which
Figure 1 represents a section of the upper part of a machine for doubling,
constructed according to my improvements, and Figure 2, a plan of part of the
same..
a represents the tin drum for driving the spindles b, which are supported as
usual in footsteps in the fixed rail c, and revolve in bushes in the copping
rails d; the flyers e and wharves f are fixed to the spindles b, as in ordinary
doubling frames; 9, 9, are angle-shaped roller. beams supporting the stands
for the bottom drawing rollers h, above which are the presser rollers i, i, and
top rollersj, j. The presser and top rollers revolve in slots in the cap bars k,
which are fixed to the stands of the drawing roller or to the roller beams.
The troughs k supply moisture to the yarns as they are drawn off the cops 1, 1,
each cop being supported in a light frame m, from which projects a footstep
for the bottom and a guide for the top of the skewer of the cop; to the
frames m are also fixed breaks m² acting in a boss of flannel or other material
fixed to the skewer to prevent the overrunning of the cop. The frames m
are jointed to the balance beams or levers n and o, the levers n having an
intermediate link, n¹ to raise them above the levers o. As it is sometimes
necessary to vary the angle of the frames m, I connect them to the levers o by
the right and left handed screws and nuts m²; the frames m of the levers n
are guided by bearing against the rod m. The levers n are jointed to. fulcrum
studs fixed to the rail n³, and the levers o are jointed to studs fixed in the
rail o both these rails extend the whole length of the machine, and they
are secured to the end frames. The levers n and o are provided with the
sliding weights n³ and o³, the positions of which are changed in proportion to
the size of the cop by the following mechanisın:-Above the levers n are the
endless chains p, and below them are similar chains 9; the levers o are also
provided with similar chains r and s. All these chains revolve over drums
supported in bearings fixed to the end frames or to the roller beams 9, 9.

page_text: I prefer. to use spaced chains with links, as shewn in the Drawing, but
any chains or bands will answer the purpose. Each pair of chains is connected
by a catch wire, and these wires are marked respectively p², q', ', and ',
the chains are turned very slowly round in the direction of the arrows by
suitable gearing from the copping wheel or other suitable part of the frame.
When the full cops are put in the frames m the sliding weights n³ and o
must be near the fulcrum studs of the levers n and o, because the cops being
then the heaviest require more weight to counterbalance them, but as the
yarn is drawn off the cop the weight is reduced and the levers gradually rise
until the upper part of the weights n³ and o³ is caught by the wires p' and r²,
and as these catch wires travel towards the cops it follows that as soon as the
weight n³ or os has been moved until the lever is properly adjusted the weight
drops below the level of the chain and consequently out of the way of the
catch wire. The catch wires q' and are to bring back the weights n³ and o³
towards the fulcrum studs of the levers n and o. By thus supporting the
cops close to the rollers a much greater amount of drag can be given without
injury to the yarn, as the distance from the cop to the nip of the rollers is
reduced to a minimum this part of my Invention is particularly beneficial ´in
doubling fine yarns. When the yarn has passed between the rollers i and j;
it is taken over the balanced guide t, from the eye of which it passes through
a slot in the box or case x to the flyer e, the box or case is fixed to the
roller beam g or cap bar k, and it is made with a moveable lid and front piece;
when the box is closed it entirely covers the flyer to prevent the loose waste
collecting on the yarn, and to prevent the broken ends of one spindle being
entangled with the adjacent ones. When an end has to be pieced or for
doffing the full bobbins the box is opened as shown in Figure 2; to gain
access to the spindle the guide t is held horizontal against a catch so long as
both ends of yarn continue to pass over its short end, but if one of the ends
is absent the front of the guide rises as shewn to the right-hand side of the
Drawing, and the top roller j and presser roller i are instantly raised in the
following manner:-To the short end of the guide t is jointed the wire t',
the lower end of which is jointed to the lever u projecting from the tumbler
weight w, which is hinged to a bracket fixed to the roller beam, the requisite
pressure is given to the top rollers; by the bent wire passing through the
weighted lever v³, which is hooked into a hole in the roller beam, and is
connected by the link to the arm na projecting from the tumbler weight n';
the screw n³ acts against a projection from the bracket supporting the tumbler
weight to regulate its motion; by this mechanism as soon as the front end of
the guide & rises, the wire t¹ is lowered, consequently the lever n³ rises and

page_text: lifts the end of the weighted lever ', by which motion the top roller; and
presser roller i are lifted off the roller h, and the supply of yarn is stopped,
owing to the roller i being lifted off the roller h. As soon as the attendant
opens the lid of the box a to piece up the broken end the break y, which
had been held above the wharvef by the rod y', the upper end of which had
been pressed down by the lid of the box, drops on to the wharve f, and holds
the spindle while the attendant is finding the thread on the bobbin. As soon
as the end has been pieced up, and the lid of the box a is closed, the rod y' is
again depressed by the lid, and the break is held above the wharve, as shewn
to the left-hand side of the Drawing. The end when pieced up brings the
guide into a horizontal position, and restores all the parts connected with
the rollers into their proper working positions.
Having thus stated the nature of my Invention, and described the manner
of performing the same, I declare that I claim,―
First, supporting the cops or bobbins of yarn to be doubled in balanced
levers or frames in order that the distance between the said cops or bobbins
and the nip of the rollers may be reduced, as described.
Secondly, the use of three or more rollers placed one above the other,
as described.
Thirdly, the improved arrangements of parts for lifting the rollers i and j
and applying the break, as described.
And lastly, enclosing the flyers in boxes or cases as described.
In witness whereof, I, the said John Harding, have hereto set my hand
and seal, the Sixth day of May, One thousand eight hundred and
sixty-seven.
JOHN HARDING
JOHN HARDING. (..)