IMPROVEMENTS IN MULES FOR SPINNING
Year: 1883

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Thomas Rawsthorne, of Preston, in the County of
Lancaster, Cotton Mill Manager, for an Invention of IMPROVEMENTS IN
MULES FOR SPINNING
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Thomas Rawsthorne at the
Office of the Commissioners of Patents on the 7th November 1883.
THOMAS RAWSTHORNE, of Preston in the County of Lancaster, Cotton Mill
Manager, "IMPROVEMENTS IN MULES FOR SPINNING"
This Invention of improvements in mules for spinning consists in imparting a
varying speed to the carriage, spindles, rollers, and attendant mechanism during
the outward stretch or traverse in such manner that the traverse being commenced
at any ordinary speed such speed may be increased at any desired point and may
be subsequently reduced to the original or other required speed as the carriage
approaches the end of its outward movement. Any of the ordinary well known
mechanical means for producing varying or differential speeds may be adapted to
effect this result, but I preferably employ a pair of cone pulleys so arranged that
the driving belt may be moved as required to the varying diameters of the cone
pulleys. The ordinary belt-guide and belt is so arranged in conjunction with
suitable levers, stops, and weights actuated by the to and fro movement of the
faller rods as that it may be moved to the desired position on the cone pulleys at
the required points..
By the above described arrangement a higher speed may be obtained during a
portion of the traverse without undue strain on the headstock and driving
mechanism thus permitting of an increased number of traverses or stretches being
performed with a correspondingly increased production in a given time.

page_text: SPECIFICATION. in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent filed by
the said Thomas Rawsthorne in the Patent Office on the 6th May 1884.
THOMAS RAWSTHORNE, of Preston, in the County of Lancaster, Cotton Mill
Manager, IMPROVEMENTS IN MULES FOR SPINNING
This Invention of improvements in mules for spinning consists in imparting a
varying speed to the carriage, spindles, rollers, and attendant mechanisin during
the outward stretch or traverse in such manner that the traverse being commenced
at any ordinary speed such speed may be increased at any desired point and may
be subsequently reduced to the original or other required speed as the carriage
approaches the end of its outward movement. Any of the ordinary well known
mechanical means for producing varying or differential speeds may be adapted to
effect this result, but I preferably employ a pair of cone pulleys so arranged that
the driving belt may be moved as required to the varying diameters of the cone
pulleys. The ordinary belt-guide and belt is so arranged in conjunction with
suitable levers, stops, and weights, actuated by the to and fro movement of the
faller rods, as that it may be moved to the desired position on the cone pulleys at
the required points.
By the above described arrangement a higher speed may be obtained during a
portion of the traverse without undue strain or shock on the headstock and driving
mechanism at starting, or "backing-off," or on "putting-up" the carriage; thus
permitting of an increased number of traverses or stretches being performed, with
a-correspondingly increased production, in a given time.
Fig. 1. of the accompanying Drawings is a side view illustrating the mode of
applying my invention to an ordinary weft mule. A is the framing of the mule
headstock and B, B, the ordinary driving pulleys. C is a counter shaft provided
with the drum D over which and the pulleys B, B, the usual driving belt is
carried. E is the ordinary loose pulley and F the fast pulley. Alongside the fast
pulley F is fixed a fast pulley G of smaller diameter to which the strap or belt is
conducted down the inclined or conical intervening portion H. Fig. 2. shews in
plan view the arrangement of the pulley G of smaller diameter in relation to the
corresponding part I of larger diameter of the driving or main shaft drum. In
practice I find that the arrangement of the pulleys with the intervening parts H
(as shewn) between the larger and lesser diameters answers the purpose of my
invention better than cone pulleys of the ordinary gradually increasing and
decreasing diameters. Jis the belt-guide actuated from the ordinary "setting-on
rod" K through the medium of the jointed levers a, a¹, and b, b', and the upright
rod or shaft L. M is a weight upon the double bell crank lever N of which the
upper arm O is jointed to the setting-on rod K. The weight M is made heavy
enough to pull or draw out the setting-on rod K and with it the belt-guide J above
and to hold it in the position shewn that is to say with the strap or belt on the
smaller or fast speed pulley G. When, however, the front faller-rod c comes in
contact with and pushes back the lower arm P of the double bell crank lever N
the setting-on rod will be moved back so as to cause the belt-guide and belt to
move on to the larger or slow speed pulley F as shewn in dotted lines in Fig. 1.
A stop fastened upon the setting-on rod K is so arranged as that when it has
been moved back beyond the upper right hand extremity d of the swing lever R
it will on the return or outward movement of the carriage come in contact with
the extremity d of the lever R and retain the setting-on rod and belt guide in
position for the slower or normal speed until released by the action of the front
faller-rod c on its outward movement upon the pendulum arm S, whereupon the

page_text: weight M will be free to fall and again pull outwards the setting-on rod thereby
causing the belt to be moved on to the fast speed pulley G as hereinbefore
described.
The above described arrangement is adapted for weft spinning and is therefore
designed to cause the speed to be reduced before the outward traverse is completed,
but for spinning twist yarn the increased speed may be sustained to the end of the
stretch or traverse and until the requisite amount of twist has been imparted to
the yarn. In the latter case the action of the "twist wheel" or of the twist wheel
shaft, or the outward movement of the belt guide employed on the headstock for
effecting the change from one pulley B to the other for "backing-off" may
obviously be readily substituted with suitable modifications for the outward
movement of the faller rods and their action upon the double bell crank lever N.
Having now described the nature of my invention and the mode of carrying it
into practical effect I would have it understood that I do not confine myself to the
precise mechanical details I have described and shewn in the drawings as they may
evidently be modified in accordance with circumstances, but what I consider to be
novel and original and therefore claim as of my invention is as follows (that is to
say):
1. The use or employment of driving pulleys of varying diameters and the
arrangements for causing the driving belt to be moved from one diameter of
pulley to another as required substantially as described and shewn in the
drawings for the purpose specified.
2. The combination of parts constituting the improved apparatus for imparting
varying speeds to spinning mules constructed, arranged, and operating
substantially as described and shewn in the drawings.
In Witness whereof I the said Thomas Rawsthorne have hereunto set my
hand and seal this Second day of May in the year of Our Lord one thousand
eight hundred and eighty-four.
MHAIAN DI TAITTARUN