Improvements in Mechanism for Placing Cop Tubes upon Spindles.
Year: 1887

page_text: PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Mechanism for Placing Cop Tubes upon Spindles.
We, JOSEPH BRIGGS SWAILES, GEORGE SWAILES, and JOHN BROADMEADOW SWAILES,
of the firm of John Swailes & Sons, of Moorhey, Oldham, in the County of Lancaster,
Cop Tube Manufacturers, and Machinists, do hereby declare the nature of the said
invention to be as follows:-
Our invention relates to mechanism for carrying and placing cop tubes upon
spindles, that is, to frames in which cop tubes are placed, the frames being carried to
and placed over a certain number of spindles and tubes from the frame are allowed to
drop or fall from it on to the spindles, the frame being then placed over another number
of spindles and the tubes are allowed to drop on the spindles as before stated, and so
on, until the tubes placed in the frame or mechanism are exhausted.
Our invention consists in a bar or board or its equivalent of any convenient length,
width and thickness, in which holes are formed in the edge way of the board, the
lengthway of which is at a right angle to the lengthway of the bar or board, these
holes being equal to the distance of the spindles apart upon which the tubes are to be
placed.
This board or bar or its equivalent is in its widthway divided into sections, each
section being in width a little more than the length of a tube, and in the division
between each section there is a thin plate of metal passing from end to end of the
board and sliding freely in a groove therein.
These plates are notched opposite each hole, and the plates are each slided one way
by a spring, arranged in any convenient manner, so as to bring the notches in the
plates opposite the holes for the tubes when the plates are released by touching a lever
or trigger.
Before being used each section of holes is filled with tubes, so that there are say,
five, six or more tubes in each hole but kept apart by the sliding plates.

page_text: There are handles on the board or bar or its equivalent by which the frame is
carried and there are guides at each end of the frame to come upon or against the
upper parts of the spindles as a guide to the correct placing of the frame over the
spindles to which the tubes are to be applied.
There may also be guides to rest the frame upon or against the faller shafts or against
a collar or collars thereon.
The lowest section nearest the spindles has or may have a hinged plate for holding
the tubes in the holes in the frame and then releasing them when they are to drop
upon the spindles, or there may be a sliding plate or other convenient arrangement.
Dated this Sixteenth day of November 1887.

page_text: COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Mechanism for Placing Cop Tubes upon Spindles.
We JOSEPH BRIGGS SWAILES, GEORGE SWAILES and JOHN BROADMEADOW
SWAILES, of the firm of John Swailes & Sons of Moorhey, Oldham, in the County
of Lancaster, Cop Tube Manufacturers and Machinists, do hereby declare the nature
of this invention and in what manner the same is to be performed, to be particularly
described and ascertained in and by the following statement :-
Our invention relates to mechanism for carrying and placing cop tubes upon spindles,
that is, to frames in which cop tubes are placed, the frames being carried to and placed
over a certain number of spindles, and tubes from the frame are allowed to drop or
fall from it on to the spindles the frame being then placed over another number of
spindles and the tubes are allowed to drop on the spindles as before stated, and so on,
until the tubes placed, in the frame or mechanism are.exhausted.
Our invention will be most readily .described and understood by reference.to the
drawings.
Fig. 1 is a front view of one modification of our improved cop tube frame mechanism
for holding and placing tubes upon spindles, and
Fig. 2 is a view of the lower edge of the frame, turned upwards.
Fig. 3 is a longitudinal section, fig. 4 a cross section, and fig. 5 an end view
illustrating another arrangement of spring, different from the springs shown in fig. 1
for sliding the notched plates endways in the frame.
Fig. 6 is a front elevation, figs. 7 and 8 cross sections and fig. 9 an edge view partly
in section of another, arrangement of spring for sliding the notched plate endways and
also shows mechanism for holding the notched plates against the action of the springs
and releasing the notched plates when they have to move end ways.
Fig. 10 is a front view and fig. 11 an edge view of another arrangement of
mechanism for holding and releasing the notched plates.
Fig. 12 is a front elevation, fig. 13 an end elevation and fig. 14, a view of
the lower edge of the frame turned upwards, showing another modification. of our
invention.
Fig. 15 is a front elevation partly in section of another modification of tube holding
and placing frame according to our invention in which there are a double set. of .holes
for tubes.
Both sets of holes are of the same guage, as the spindles, one set of boles .coming
in the spaces between the other set of holes.
Fig. 16 is an end elevation of the frame and fig. 17 an edge view of the lower edge
of the frame, shown by fig. 15, when turned upwards.
Fig. 18 is a front elevation and fig. 19 a partial edge view showing a modification
of spring for moving the notched plates, and of the mechanism for holding and
releasing them.

page_text: "
Fig. 20 is a partial end elevation of the frame, to show how the projecting cop tube
conducting nozzles, when used, come between the faller sickles which are partly shown.
Figs. 21, 22 and 23 are views corresponding respectively to figs. 15, 16 and 17
illustrating another modification of frame, having a double set of tube holes or
receptacles.
Fig. 24 is a front view detached and fig. 25 an edge view of the same illustrating a
modification of the cam disc holding and releasing mechanism for the sliding notched
plates which may be used in place of that shown in figs. 21, 22 and 23.
Figs. 26, 27 and 28 are views corresponding respectively to figs. 21, 22 and 23 of
another modification of frame with a double set of tube holes or receptacles.
We will first describe our invention as illustrated by figs. 1 and 2.
To make the frame we use a board a of wood of a length equal to that required by
the number of spindles upon which cop tubes are to be placed at the same time and
of a suitable thickness and width for, say, four tubes in length.-The board has
holes a bored in the edgeway and middle of the thick way of the board from one
edge to the other, the holes being a little larger than the diameter of the cop tubes
and are the gauge of the spindles apart. This board is then grooved lengthways with
parallel grooves rather more than half the thickness of the board in depth, the grooves
being rather more than the length of the cop tubes apart.
The board a has then a thin narrow plate of metal a² placed in each groove and
extending from end to end, and the inner edge of each thin plate a² has a notch in it
opposite each hole a¹ so that when the plate is slided in the groove one way the
notches will be brought opposite the holes a¹ for the cop tubes to allow them to pass
and drop from the holes upon the spindles, but when the notched plates a² are moved
endways in the opposite direction, the parts of the metal plates between the notches
will come opposite the holes a' for the cop tubes and prevent them from falling.
On the face of the board a and across the grooves short pieces of metal a³ are
secured by screws, which serve to keep the sliding plates a² in the grooves and to
strengthen the board, and these pieces of metal a³ also serve as stops against which
projections from the sliding plate a come, to limit the movement in each direction.
bare spiral springs, the tail part 6' is bent and driven into the wood, and the centre
of the coil of the spring is secured by the head of a screw 62 screwed into the wood of
the frame.
The free end of each spring 6 comes into a hole in a projection from the plate a².
Each spring bacts to draw its sliding plate a² from the position in which it prevents
cop tubes from escaping from the holes to that in which the notches in the plate
will allow the cop tubes to escape and drop upon the spindle.
the
c are flat bent springs secured by screws c¹ to the frame a one bent end of the spring
crosses the edge of the thin sliding plate a² and comes in the way of a projection a
from it, this projection a passing under the free end of the flat spring c when the
sliding notched plate a² is drawn back against the tension of the spring b by a pro-
jection a from each plate for the finger to act upon, and when drawn back the flat
spring e comes in front of the projection a' and holds it.
The projection as is released from the flat spring c when the cop tubes are to fall
upon the spindles by a flat bent lever c curved to oscillate on a screw or screws c³ as
a fulcrum the oscillation of the free end of the lever c² being to and from the face of
the board one end of the lever comes under the flat spring c and when the other end
of the lever c² is depressed the flat spring c is lifted to allow the projection a³ from
the notched plate a² to pass clear under it.
On the lower edge of the board a notched metal plate a² same as those a² in the
grooves is secured by screws passing through slots in the plate on one side and cross
pieces of metal a² but so as to leave the plate a² free to be slided endways.-This
lower plate a² is arranged and acted upon same as those in the grooves.
At each end of the board a a plate is secured by screws, which plate has a cup
projection d rivetted to it.
These cups are arranged to come exactly upon the tip of the spindle at each end of
the frame a which is next to the extreme spindle at each end of the row of spindles,

page_text: which are to have cop tubes applied to them, so that the holes a' in the board or
frame a are opposite the spindles which are to be supplied with tubes. The lips y of
these spindles are shown in fig. 1. e are handles secured to the board or frame a
for carrying it about, and fare two hooks secured to the board a for hanging it upon
one of the faller shafts when the frame is to be filled with tubes and until it is
required for use.
These hooks fare shown in another figure hereinafter referred to.
When the frame a is to be filled with cop tubes, all the notched plates a² are in the
position in which they would allow a cop tube to drop clear through the holes, then
the lowest notched plate a² is moved to cover or partly cover the holes a' as shown in
fig. 2, and then each hole has one cop tube placed in it, the next notched plate a² is
then moved in like manner and another cop tube is placed in each hole in like manner
and so on until the four rows are filled.
When the cop tubes are to be applied to the spindles, the cups d are placed on the
tops of the spindles, as before explained, and then the end of the lowest lever c² is
depressed and this releases the lowest notched plate a² and the cop tubes are discharged
upon the spindles the frame a is then taken to the next row of spindles and the lever c²
for that row is depressed to discharge the second row of cop tubes, and so on, until the
frame is empty.
There are or may be holes as formed in the frame a across or into the holes a¹
to show when cop tubes are in them, or grooves or channels are or may be formed
as hereinafter explained to show when the holes are filled with cop tubes and when
they are empty.
upon
Figs. 3, 4 and 5 show the mode in which helical springs may be used for sliding
the notched plates a². A hole is formed at one end of the frame a for each sliding
notched plate a² and a plate 63 is secured to the end of the frame by screws or otherwise
which plate 3 has a pin 64 rivetted in it for the helical spring bone end of which
comes against the plate 63 and the other end against a plate a* that can slide the
pin 64 which plate ax is a projection from or is attached to the notched plate a².
For the lowest notched plate a the plate 63 for the helical spring b and that for the
cup projection d at one end of the frame a is combined in one piece and is secured
to the end or side of the frame a the metal carrying the cup projection & coming clear
below the notched plate a² so as to permit it to slide freely.
Figs. 6, 78 and 9 show a spring formed by an elastic piece of steel wire b secured
at one end in a plate 63 attached to the frame a by a screw the free end of the spring b
passing through a hole in a projection a* from the notched plate a² and the spring
catch and releasing lever are in this modification formed in one piece.
c is a flat bent lever to rock on the screws c³ as a fulcrum, by which screws the
lever c is secured to the frame a.
The end of the lever c to be pressed upon by the finger to release the plate a² has a
curved pin c for an helical spring c and the curved pin c¹ can enter a hole in the
board a when that end of the lover c is depressed, to release the other end of the lever
from the projection a³ from the plate a².
Figs. 10 and 11 show another arrangement of lever catch same as that shown by
figs. 6, 7, 8 and 9, except that a flat spring is rivetted to the lever c the free end
of the spring co resting against the face of the frame a near the fulcrum c³ of the
lever c.
Figs. 12 and 14 are views corresponding respectively to figs. 1 and 2 and fig. 13 is
an end view illustrating another modification of our invention which modification is
substantially the same as that described and shown by figs. 1 and 2 except in the
mechanism for holding and releasing the notched slides a².
There are two thin metal plates and i arranged at right angles to the lengthway of
the frame a to slide in guiding plates ¹ secured by screws to the frame a.
One plate has notches and projections upon one edge, which projections will come
in certain positions of the sliding plates h in the way of projections a³ from the notched
plates a², and the notches in the plates when opposite the projections a³ from the
notched plates will allow them to move.

page_text: There is a spiral spring 6× (same as those (6) shown in figs. 1 and 2) arranged to
act upon a projection from the plate h to lift or slide it upwards, but this is resisted
by an escapement arrangement formed by a lever ³ having its fulcrum h4 on a pin in
a plate secured to the frame a.
Each of the two ends of the lever ³ has a bent tooth or projection which can engage
with teeth formed upon the edge of the plate has shown.
Near one handle e there is an arm 5 from the lever h³ for the thumb or finger to
press upon to oscillate the lever h³ and each oscillation to and fro allows the spring 6*
to move the plate h one tooth at a time and each tooth of movement causes one or the
other of the projections on the plate / to release a projection a³ from one of the notched
plates a² in succession.
The other sliding plate i has projections and notches to hold and release other
projections a¹¹ from the notched plates a² while the frame a is being filled with cop
tubes.
In the position in which the plate h is shown in fig. 12 all the notched plates a² are
in the position shown in fig. 14, in which they will prevent the discharge of the cop
tubes.
The first movement of the lever h³ releases the lowest plate a², the next movement
of the lever h³ releases the plate a² above the lowest and so on, and when all are
released the holes in the frame a are empty of cop tubes.
Then to fill the frame with cop tubes the lowest plate a² is slided back by pushing
upon the projection a from the plate as for the finger and the plate i is slided down-
wards a step to hold back the lowest plate a² in the position shown in fig. 14-Then
each hole has a cop tube placed in it-The next plate a² is then slided back and held
in that position by sliding the plate i another step down and so on until all the frame
is filled with cop tubes.
Then the plate his lifted up against the action of the spring 6x by placing the
finger upon the projection 2 at the same time the lever ³ is worked to and fro until
the plate is in the position shown in fig. 12, and then the plate i is also moved to the
position in which it is shown in fig. 12, and the frame a is then ready to apply the cop
tubes to the spindles.
Figs. 15, 16 and 17 illustrate another modification having a double set of holes in
the frame for cop tubes.
This modification is substantially the same as that hereinbefore described and
illustrated by figs. I and 2 with the following exceptions.
There are two sets of holes a¹ for cop tubes each set is the guage of the spindles
apart and one set comes into the spaces between the other set.
The lowest plate a² is formed with flanges to grasp the edges of the frame and is
secured to it by screws passing through slots in the flanges which allow the plate to
slide to and fro freely to a limited extent.
The cups d are secured in the ends of the lowest plate a², which in some cases has
short conducting nozzles as so that when the lower edge of the frame is as near to the
sickles as possible (in cases where the sickles come above the tips of the spindles y)
they (the nozzles a³) will convey the cop tubes to the point of the spindle (see the left
end of fig. 15).
There is only one set of holes or notches in the plates a² for the cop tubes to pass
through, and when the frame is filled with cop tubes ready for use, the lowest plate a²
and the notches in the other plates a² are in the position shown by fig. 17, both sets of
holes a', in the frame being covered to such extent as to prevent the cop tubes from
falling out.
The first discharge is by pressing the lever marked 1. (there are two levers c² to
one catch c in place of one lever c² to one catch c as in figs. 1 and 2), this allows
the spring to move the plate a² to bring the holes in it opposite the first set of
holes in the frame a and thus discharges the cop tubes from the lower row in that set.
The like result takes place when the keys or levers c² marked 2, 3 and 4 are pressed
in succession Then when the key or lever marked 5 is pressed the lowest plate a²
makes its second movement and the holes in it come opposite the second set of holes in

page_text: the frame a for cop tubes and the lowest row is discharged from that set of holes and
the others in succession by pressing the keys, 6, 7 and 8.
The projection a from the plates a² are formed in two steps, and the depression of.
say that lever marked 1 lifts the catch over the first or lowest step, and the depression
of that marked 5 lifts the catch over the second step of the projections a³ which are
inclined on one side so that when the plates a² are moved one way by pressing on the
finger projection at the incline lifts and passes under the catch c.
Fig. 16 shows clearly the manner in which the hooks fare hooked upon the faller
shaft when being filled with cop tubes.
Figs. 18 and 19 show an arrangement of two catches c and ex corresponding pro-
jections a from the plate a², and a separate lever c² for each catch c.
When one catch e is released the plate a moves until the other projection a' comes
against the other catch c* which when released allows the second movement in the plate a².
Fig. 20 shows an end view of the lower part of a frame a where conducting nozzles a³
are applied to the lower plate a² to convey the cop tubes to the tips of the spindle y
when the sickles come above their level, the sickles ; and j¹ being partly shown in
fig. 20 they are also partly shown in fig. 15, one of which () in each figure is the sickle
for the faller and the other (¹) for the counter faller..
Figs. 21, 22 and 23, are views corresponding respectively to figs. 15, 16 and 17
showing a modification of frame a with a double set of holes for cop tubes, but
with a different arrangement of mechanism for holding and releasing the plates a².
The springs bacting upon the plates a² are arranged as shown with greater length
of arm than in fig. 15.
There is a plate k secured to the face of the frame by screws, this plate carries an
axis k upon which a lever I can oscillate, to a given extent, limited by a slot A through
which a screw passes into the frame.
This ever has a projection 2 for the thumb to act upon when the right hand has
hold of the handle e on the right hand side of the frame a.
The lever is also acted upon by a flat spring 13 one end of which is secured to
the frame a and the free end acts upon the lever to move it upwards after each
depression.
On the lever a ratchet pawl 1 is jointed, and there is a spring one end of which
is secured to the lever and the free end acts upon the pawl 74 to press it against.
ratchet teeth on the edge of a disc 1 which is behind and is secured to a cam disc m
that rotates upon the axis k¹.
The dic with ratchet teeth has also corrugations on part of its edge for the
rounded or Vend of a spring 17 (secured to the frame) to enter and hold the disc 16
after each movement.
The front disc m has notches in it of the shape shown in fig. 21.
There are projections a' from each plate a² and each projection has a round pin or
projection a' from the side so that the plates as connected with and projecting from the
plates a² can pass behind or in front of the disc m but so that the pins a' carried by
them will come across the edge of the disc m.
It will be seen that if the disc m is turned in the direction pointed by the arrow on
fig. 21 the pin a' connected with the lowest plate a² will be moved one step by the
action of the spring band as the disc m turns, the other projections as will in
succession move in like manner, and if the disc m is turned still further the pins a
and thus the plates a² will be caused to make another movement in succession, and
then by drawing back the lowest plate a² and turning the disc m its pin a' is made to
rest on the first step of the disc m backward in which position cop tubes may be filled
to the lower row of the first set of holes in the frame a and the other plates a² may be
moved and held in like manner in succession, and then the lowest plate a² may be
again moved to get its pin a' on the periphery of the disc m and the lowest row of the
second set of holes in the frame a may then be filled, and the others by moving the
other plates a² in like manner in succession.
The disc m may now be moved round until a pin m¹ comes against a hook spring
catch m² secured to the frame a which prevents the disc m from being rotated by accident,

page_text: To prevent cop tubes, when filling the frame a from being placed in the wrong set
of holes, there is a thin plate n of metal arranged upon the upper edge of the frame a
which plate n can slide to and fro lengthways of the frame a.
This plate n has holes in it at the guage of the spindles apart and when moved in one
position will uncover one set of holes so that cop tubes may be filled in; and when
moved to the other position covers the first set of holes and uncovers the second set.
There is a lever n¹ mounted on a fulcrum pin n² on a plate secured to the frame,
and one end of this lever n¹ passes through a hole in a projection from the plate n.
This arm of the lever n' is acted upon by a spring n³ secured to the frame a which
forces the arm n² to one extreme against a stop pin n*.
The other arm of the lever n¹ comes against or is acted upon by a cam piece n³
secured to the disc m.
When the plate n and lever n' are in the position shown in fig. 21 one set of holes
can be filled, but when the disc m is moved round to the point for setting the plates a²
to fill the other set of holes, the cam piece n' acts upon the lever n' and moves the
plate n to the other position for filling the other set of holes.
The piece n secured to the disc m moves the lever n¹ and thus the plate n to partly
cover the holes a', when the tubes are filled in to prevent them from dropping out
should the frame be turned upside down.
Figs. 24 and 25 show another arrangement of mechanism which may be used in
place of that shown in figs. 21, 22 and 23.
The ratchet disc is dispensed with and pins 18 in the face of the disc m are used in
place of teeth; or a rim with ratchet teeth and corrugations may be cast on the face
of the disc m.
The lever in figs. 24 and 25 is substantially the same as that shown in figs. 21, 22
and 23-the pawl carried by it is jointed on a pin to come in front of the disc m the
lever being behind it.
The cam piece n³, to act upon the lever n'is shown in dotted line, and the piece no secured
to the disc m not only performs the function herein before described in reference to
figs. 21, 22 and 23 but is arranged to catch upon the pin n* at the end of the lever n¹
to prevent the disc m from being turned by accident, thus dispensing with the spring
catch m² fig. 21.
Figs. 26, 27 and 28 correspond respectively with figs. 21, 22, and 23, and show a
different arrangement for holding and releasing the plates a² which arrangement is
the same in principle as that described in reference to the modification shown by
figs. 12, 13 and 14, except that in figs. 26, 27 and 28, the arrangement is adapted
to frames a with a double set of holes for cop tubes, and the escapement mechanism
is different.
The slide his arranged in guiding plates h¹ one screw h³ passing through a guiding
slot in the plate h into the frame a.
The holding slide i is guided by the guiding plates h¹ and h³ and two
screws and each passing through a slot in the plate i and screwing into
the frame a.
One of the guiding plates which is secured to the frame a carries the fulcrum p
of a lever pone end of which is slotted to fit a pin 7 secured in the plate h, the
other arm of this lever is formed into a segment p² having a double row of teeth,
the points of one row opposite the spaces of the other row of teeth, with spaces,
between the points of the two rows of teeth.
There is a thumb lever q having its fulcrum q¹ on a plate secured to the frame a
which lever q has a projection or tooth q² on one side that enters into the space
between the two rows of escapement teeth. There is also a spring q³ secured to the
frame a which presses against the lever q to force it to one side, the action of
the thumb or finger being to draw the lever q in the opposite direction against the
action of the spring q³.
One end of an helical spring p³ is secured to the lever p and the other end to
the frame a this spring pacts upon the lever p to lift the slide but it can only
do so in steps as the lever q is oscillated a tooth of the escapement at a time.

page_text: The steps are indicated in dotted line on the slide h.
As shown in fig. 26, the parts are in the position they occupy when the frame is
fully charged with cop tubes and is ready to discharge the first set in the lowest
row The first movement of the lever q moves the lowest plate a² and discharges
the first row of tubes in one set of holes; and the other movements, the other
rows of that set of tubes, in succession, the fourth movement causes the lowest
plate a to make its second movement to discharge the lowest row of cop tubes from
the second set of holes and the others by the succeeding movements of the lever.
There is a plate n having the same function as that described in reference to
figs. 21, 22 and 23, but it is moved one way by a spring n' and its proper position
is determined by the slide i as there is a projection n from the plate n which
comes against the edge of the slide i and this projection 8 serves to keep the slide i
in its correct position when the frame a has been filled with cop tubes, and also
when the plate n is in the position shown in fig. 26 it prevents cop tubes from falling
out should the frame a be turned upside down.
The slide is used as described in reference to figs. 12, 13 and 14 the plate n
being by the finger projection n* first drawn back.
It will be seen that the slide i will hold the plate n in one position while the first
set of four rows of holes is filled, and will then allow the spring n to move it to the
correct position for filling the second set of four rows of holes.
In each modification described, holes a³, (figs. 1 and 15) may be made in the
frame a as hereinbefore mentioned to show whether or not the cop tubes are in
the holes for them in the frame, or grooves or channels are or may be made along the
back of the frame a as shown by a fig. 13 these grooves being cut just deep enough
to enter the side of the holes in the frame a for the cop tubes.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of our said inven-
tion and in what manner the same is to be performed we declare that what we
claim is,
1. The combination of mechanism for holding and placing cop tubes upon spindles
where two or more rows or two or more sets of rows of cop tubes are placed in the
same frame one over the other which rows of cop tubes are each discharged separately
from the frame upon the spindles substantially as hereinbefore described.
2. The several combinations and arrangements of mechanism substantially as
and for the purpose hereinbefore described and illustrated by figs. 1 and 2,
figs. 12, 13, and 14, figs. 15, 16 and 17; figs. 21, 22 and 23 and figs. 26, 27
and 28 of the drawings, or when the combinations herein referred to in this claim
are modified by the alternative arrangements of mechanism as herein before described
and illustrated by the drawings.
Dated this 15th day of August 1888.
PETER J. LIVSEY,
Agent.