IMPROVEMENTS IN SPINNING
Year: 1856

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Samuel Cunliffe Lister and William Tongue, of
Bradford, in the County of York, for the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS
IN SPINNING."
Sealed the 31st March 1857, and dated the 17th October 1856.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Samuel Cunliffe Lister
and William Tongue at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with
their Petition, on the 17th October 1856.
We, SAMUEL CUNLIFFE LISTER and WILLIAM TONGUE, of Bradford, in the
County of York, do hereby declare the nature of the Invention for "IMPROVE-
MENTS IN SPINNING," to be as follows:-
Our improvements in spinning consist in making hollow spindles to run on
a fixed pin, the fliers being so attached that they can be removed when the
bobbin is full. Another method which answers equally well is to have the
spindle running in a hollow tube, so as to be supported nearly the entire length;
in that case, as the bobbin would have to run round a dead surface, we insert
a metal tube, which preserves them from wearing and regulates the drag. We
also find a great advantage in placing the rollers and spindles nearer together,
especially when spinning worsted. By using spindles of an improved form we
bave discovered that flax, hemp, silk, cotton, wool, and hair, and other fibre
may be spun at much higher velocities than is now the case, which is very

page_text: important. Flax cotton, or flax reduced to a similar length and fineness after
being combed, may be spun at speeds never before thought of. When running
at high speeds it is difficult to stop the spindles without straining them; in
order to obviate this, we place a small pin in such a way that the spinner can
stop or partially stop them by pressing the pin surface, which may be covered
with cloth or leather, against the spindle. We also have descovered that good
yarn may be made from silk cotton, also mudar, particularly if spun wet after
being combed, and it may be mixed with cotton, wool, silk, and other fibre with
advantage. When doubling worsted, whether made from alpaca, mohair, or
wool, better yarn may be made by passing the single yarn through water or
size before being doubled.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent, filed
by the said Samuel Cunliffe Lister and William Tongue in the Great
Seal Patent Office on the 17th April 1857.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, we, SAMUEL
CUNLIFFE LISTER and WILLIAM TONGUE, of Bradford, in the County of York,
send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her Letters
Patent, bearing date the Seventeenth day of October, in the year of our Lord
One thousand eight hundred and fifty-six, in the twentieth year of Her reign,
did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give and grant unto us, the said
Samuel Cunliffe Lister and William Tongue, Her special licence that we, the
said Samuel Cunliffe Lister and William Tongue, our executors, administrators,
and assigns, or such others as we, the said Samuel Cunliffe Lister, and William
Tongue; our 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 SPINNING," upon
the condition. (amongst others) that we, the said Samuel Cunliffe Lister and
William Tongue, our executors or administrators, by an instrument in writing
under our or their hands and seals, or under the hand and seal of one of us or
them, should particularly describe and ascertain the nature of the said Inven-
tion, 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 Samuel Cunliffe Lister, on behalf of
myself and the said William Tongue; 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*
thereof, that is to say:-
'
Our improvements in spinning consist in making hollow spindles to run on
a fixed pin, the fliers being so attached that they can be removed. when the
bobbin is full. Another method which answers equally well is to have: the
spindle running in a hollow tubo, so as to be supported nearly the entire length;
in that case, as the bobbin would liave to fun round a dead surface, we insert
a metal tube, which preserves them from wearing, and regulates: the drag:
When running at higli speeds it is difficult to stop the spindles without straining
them; in order to obviate this, we place a small pin in such a way that the
spinner can stop or partially stop them by pressing the pin surface, which may
be covered with cloth or leather, against the spindle.
And in order that our Invention. may be more fully understood and readily.
carried out, we will now proceed to describe the Drawing annexed:
Fig. 1 shews a section of a throstle spindle constructed according to our
Invention. a is a fixed pin or spindle on which the hollow spindle b'is, caused
to revolve; the fliers c being so constructed that they may be unscrewed, from
the top of the hollow spindle 6 when the bobbin requires to be removed.
"
Fig. 2 shews a section of a throstle spindle constructed according to our
Invention, so that the spindle is supported by revolving in a fixed tube. . a is
the revolving spindle, and 6 is the fixed tube. The bobbin c is placed upon the
metal tube d, by which the wear of the bobbins is avoided, and the drag
reduced and regulated.
:
:
Fig. 3 shews a side view of an ordinary spindle, having our improved
arrangement for stopping the spindle applied thereto. a is the spindle; and b
is a screw, passing through the copping rail c, and so arranged, that by pressing
the screw b, and thereby causing it to press upon the spindle a, the spindle will
be arrested; d is a piece of leather, wood, or other material interposed between
the screw b and spindle a; and we would have it understood that tho' the
spindle shewn is of the ordinary description, the aparatus may be readily
applied to any form of spindle by which its revolution may be arrested; and
we would have it also understood that other mechanical contrivances than that
shewn in the Drawing may be adopted for arresting the revolution of spindles
without departing from this part of our Invention.
Flax cotton, that is, flax when reduced to a length similar to long stapled
cotton, after being combed may be spun at speeds never before thought of; and

page_text: the plan which we adopt to accomplish this is as follows:-The flax, after being
first reduced to a state of flax cotton by mechanical or chemical means, is then
carded and well combed to remove the short fibre and knots; it is then drawn,
prepared, and roved upon cotton machinery, and then spun wet. By following
out this process of reducing flax to a short fibre, then combing it, and then
preparing it upon cotton machinery and spinning wet, it will allow of the
spindle being run at as high or even higher speed than cotton is now spun;
which is of great importance.in producing cheap yarn. We have also discovered
that good yarn may be made from silk cotton by the following process:-After
being well carded it should be combed, as it is full of short downy fibre, and
then prepared and spun upon cotton machinery. As the fibres are very brittle
it should be spun wet to give it cohesion and pliability; in all the processes it
is better to work it damp,, so far as is practicable, otherwise the waste is great
from the fibres breaking almost like glass. Mudar, another Indian fibre, may
be used with advantage if prepared upon cotton machinery, and then spun wet.
Being very short in fibre it requires moisture to give it cohesion; both mudar
and silk cotton may be mixed with other fibre with advantage before being
spun, either in the carding, combing, or drawing operations.
What we claim is, making hollow spindles, as is shewn in Fig. 1, that the
plier can be readily removed at pleasure from the top, also the spindle running
in a hollow tube, as shewn in Fig. 2.
Secondly, we claim so arranging spindles that they can be stopped at
pleasure by pressure or other suitable means.
Thirdly, we claim spinning flax, when treated substantially as described,
at a higher speed than three thousand. revolutions per minute.
Fourthly, we claim making yarn from silk cotton (bourbax), also from
mudar or jercum, substantially as described.
In witness whereof, I, the said Samuel Cunliffe Lister, have set my
hand and seal, this Fifteenth day of April, One thousand eight hundred
& fifty-seven.
Witness,
JAMES HAMILTON, of Manningham, Bradford,
Yorkshire.
S. C. LISTER. (L.S.)