IMPROVEMENTS IN MACHINERY FOR SPINNING COTTON SILK, AND OTHER FIBROUS SUBSTANCES
Year: 1849

page_text: TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, ROBERT
SUTCLIFFE, of Idle, near Bradford, in the County of York, Cotton Spinner,
send greeting.
WHEREAS Her present most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her Royal
Letters Patent under the Great Seal of the United Kingdom of Great Britain
and Ireland, bearing date at Westminster, the Eighth day of May, One thousand
eight hundred and forty-nine, in the twelfth year of Her reign, did, for Herself,
Her heirs, and successors, give and grant unto me, the said Robert Sutcliffe,
my exors, adñiors, and assigns, Her especial licence, full power, sole privilege, and
authority, that I, the said Robert Sutcliffe, my exors, adiñors, and assigns, or
such others as I, the said Robert Sutcliffe, my exors, admors, or assigns,
should at any time agree with, and no others, from time to time and at all
times during the term of years therein expressed, should and lawfully might
make, use, exercise, and vend, within England, Wales, and the Town of Berwick-
upon-Tweed, and in the Islands of Guernsey, Jersey, Alderney, Sark, and Man,
and in all Her said Majesty's Colonies and Plantations abroad, my Invention of
"IMPROVEMENTS IN MACHINERY FOR SPINNING COTTON, SILK, AND OTHER FIBROUS
SUBSTANCES;" in which said Letters Patent is contained a proviso, that I, the
said Robert Sutcliffe, shall cause a particular description of the nature of my
said Invention, and in what manner the same is to be performed, by an instru-
ment in writing under my hand and seal, to be inrolled in Her said Majesty's
High Court of Chancery within six calendar months next and immediately
after the date of the said in part recited Letters Patent, as in and by the same,
reference being thereunto had, will more fully and at large appear.
NOW KNOW YE, that in compliance with the said proviso, I, the said
Robert Sutcliffe, do hereby declare that the nature of my Invention, and the
manner in which the same is to be performed, are particularly described and

page_text: ascertained in and by the following statement thereof, reference being had
to the Drawings hereunto annexed, and to the figures and letters marked
thereon, that is to say:-
My Invention relates to improvements in machinery, constructed on the
principle of the machine commonly called a throstle, and in order that my
Invention, and the mode of putting the same in practice, may be fully under-
stood, I will now proceed to describe the Drawings hereunto annexed. Sheet 1,
Figure 1, is an elevation, and Figure -2 -a section, of a spindle and various
parts connected therewith, arranged according to my Invention; Figures 3, 4,
5, and 6 are detached views of the various parts; the same letters refer to
similar parts in all the Figures. A-is the flyer, screwed on the top of a short
steel spindle B, which is made with a shoulder, as shewn at S, in Figure 3;
C is a steel spindle or stud fixed to the rail R, by means of the nut U. In
the upper part of this stud is a cylindrical cavity T, shewn in Figure 4, which
receives the short spindle B, and allows of its turning-freely; Z is a small
brass or steel cap, screwed on the top of the stud C, which prevents the spindle
B from rising out of its place; D is a metallic tube, turning freely on the
stud-C, and carrying a pulley or warve E, which is driven by a band; -F is
the bobbin, which is slipped on the tube D, and revolves with it, being driven
by a catch pin I, or by its adhesion to the tube and pulley; H is a fixed rail,
supporting the tube D-and bobbin F. The rail R moves in guides, and is
raised and lowered by any suitable mechanism, such as that employed to
produce the copping motion in ordinary throstles. Figure 3 shews the flyer
A and short spindle B, with its shoulder at S; G, G, are the loops or eyes of
the flyer. Figure 4 shews the stud C, the upper part being in section; T is
the cavity which receives the spindle B. Figure 5 is a section of the cap Z.
Figure 6 shows the tube D and pulley E; I is the catch pin for driving the
bobbin.
.
The mode of action of this apparatus is as follows:-The cotton, which is
represented by the red line Y, in Figure 1, is supplied in the usual manner
from the drawing rollers or otherwise, and being passed through one of the
eyes G of the flyer, is attached to the bobbin F. This-bobbin being driveni
round by means of the pulley E, carries the cotton round with it, dragging the
flyer round after it and twisting the cotton. The friction of the spindle B,
together with the resistance of 'the air to the flyer, produce a drag upon the
yarn, which causes it to be wound up on the bobbin as fast as it is supplied.
The rail R traverses up and down, carrying the stud, spindle, and flyer with it,
and distributing the yarn upon the bobbin. The tension on the yarn during the
process of spinning, and the accidental jerks given to the yarn when it requires

page_text: to be pieced, might occasion the flyer. to be lifted or jerked out of its place
were it not for the cap Z, which, meeting the shoulder S of the spindle B,
effectually prevents any accident of this sort. When it is required to doff' or
remove the bobbin F, the cap Z is unscrewed, and the flyer A, spindle B, and
cap Z are all reinoved together. The bobbin is then slipped off the tube D,
and replaced by another; the spindle B is then replaced in the cavity in the
stud C, and the cap Z is screwed on. The thread board N, which is placed
above the flyers, and which carries the guide wires in the ordinary manner,
may be fixed to the framing of the machine, but I prefer to make it move in
guides, and rise and fall with the rail R; as will be seen by referring to. Slicet
II., Figure 21, in which N is the thread board carrying the guide wires O,
through which the cotton Y passes from: the drawing rollers P. The thread
board N is connected with rail R by a frame Q. As the rail R rises and falls,
the thread board does the same, and this always preserves its relative position
with regard to the flyer. Instead of raising and lowering the rail R, the copping
motion may be given by raising and lowering the rail H, whilst the rail R is
fixed. In this case the thread board N will also be fixed.
In Sheet 1, Figure 7, the form of the spindle B is slightly altered, it being
reduced in diameter at the lower part, in order to diminish the friction. The
stud C is here fixed to the rail R by two nuts U, U, instead of by a nut and a
collar, as in Figure 1. This arrangement 'allows of the height of the stud
being adjusted. The other letters refer to similar parts to those in the
preceding Figures.
In Figure 8 the form of the cap Z is somewhat different from those already
described, being much longer than in Figure 1; when necessary, it is removed
as above described. The spindle is guided at its upper part by the cap Z, and
at its lower part by the small cavity in the stud C.
Figure 9 represents another form of my Invention. In this the cap Z is of the
same external diameter as the stud C, and the flyer A is not screwed on the spindle
B, but merely slipped on, being made to fit tightly. In removing the bobbin the
cap Z is not unscrewed, but the flyer A is pulled off the spindle B, which. remains.
in its place in the stud C; the bobbin can then be lifted off. Figure 10 represents
an arrangement very similar to Figure 9. In this arrangement a nut X is.
added, to secure the flyer to the spindle B; by stopping the flyer and
unscrewing the nut X, the flyer is released, and may be lifted off the spindle.
The socket of the flyer, and the part of the spindle which fits into it, may be
either square or conical. The cap Z is not so large in diameter as to interfere
with the removal of the bobbin, although large enough to prevent the removal
of the tube D, shewn in Figures 1, 2, and 6.

page_text: Figure 11 represents another form of my Invention. Figure 12 is a
detached view of the spindle and flyer; and Figure 18 is a view of the spindle,
with a section of the flyer. The spindle B is made with a groove at K, and a
small steel pin Z is screwed through the side of the stud C; and enters the
groove K. This pin answers the same purpose as the cap Z in the preceding
Figures, and prevents the spindle B from being accidentally displaced. The
flyer A is fitted accurately to the spindle, and is secured by two small springs
X, X, which enter two small notches or depressions in the upper part of the
spindle, to prevent the flyer from being accidentally jerked off. The flyer, how-
ever, is easily removed by hand by pulling it off the spindle, which remains in
its place; the bobbin can, then be removed.
Sheet IT., Figure 14, represents an arrangement somewhat similar to that
shewn in Figure 11. In this arrangement, however, the flyer A is firmly
attached to the spindle B. The steel pin Z is not screwed into the stud, but is
kept in its place by being attached to a steel spring X, which partially
embraces the upper part of the stud. Figure 15 is a view of the stud C,
shewing the spring X. Figure 16 is a horizontal section of the stud C,
shewing the form of the spring X and pin Z. To remove the bobbin, the pin
Z and spring X are first pulled off the stud, by means of the button attached
to them; the flyer A and spindle B are removed, and the bobbin can then
be lifted off; another bobbin being slipped on, the flyer and spindle are
replaced, and the pin Z pushed into its place, the spring X opening and
closing again round the upper part of the stud C.
Instead of securing the flyer to the spindle by a nut or spring catch, as
above described, in reference to Figures 10, 11, 12, and 18, it may be secured
by passing a pin through the spindle, or by any other equivalent contrivance.
Figure 17 represents an arrangement of a different form to those above
described. A is the flyer, the upper part of which is made with a tube or
socket which revolves on the fixed stud C, instead of within it. It is sup-
ported by a shoulder on the stud at S, and is prevented from rising by the cap
or nut Z. Figure 18 represents the flyer A. Figure 19 shews the stud C,
nut Z, which is shewn sepa-
with the screw at the top to receive the cap or
rately at Figure 20. Instead of the cap or nut Z, a pin may be passed
through the top of the stud, or any other mechanical equivalent thereto may
be used. In all the different arrangements above described, the bobbin F,
pulley E, and tube D are arranged in a sinilar manner to those shewn in
Figures 1 and 2; but. I do not confine myself to that arrangement, as such
arrangement forms no part of my Invention, and in some cases the tube D
may be dispensed with, the bobbin turning on the fixed-stud, and being driven

page_text: by its adhesion to a leather washer, fixed on the pulley E, or by a pin on the
pulley E. Although in the above description I have mentioned certain
materials as being employed for particular parts, I do not confine myself to the
use of those materials, as others may be used. I have described my Invention
as applied to twisting cotton, but it is evident that it is also applicable to the
process of doubling; and is not only applicable to cotton, but may be used in
spinning silk and other fibrous substances.
Having now described my Invention, and the manner in which the same is
to be performed, I wish it to be understood that I do not claim generally the
application of a flyer attached to a short spindle revolving in a stud, nor do I
claim generally the application of a
the application of a flyer formed with a socket or tube
revolving on a stud; but I claim, as improvements in machinery for spinning
cotton, silk, and other fibrous substances,-
Firstly, the application of a flyer attached to a spindle revolving in and sup-
ported by a stud, in combination with a cap or pin, or any mechanical
equivalent thereto, whereby the spindle is retained in its place in the stud, as
above described.
Secondly, I claim the application of a flyer constructed with a tube or
socket, revolving on and supported by a fixed stud in combination with a cap
or pin, or any mechanical equivalent thereto, whereby the flyer is retained in
its place on the stud, as above described.
In witness whereof, I, the said Robert Sutcliffe, have hereunto set my
hand and seal, this Nineteenth day of October, in the year of our Lord
themand night hundred and forty-nine.
ROBERT (L.s.) SUTCLIFFE.
AND BE IT REMEMBERED, that on the Nineteenth day of October,
in the year of our Lord 1849, the aforesaid Robert Sutcliffe came before our
said Lady the Queen in Her Chancery, and acknowledged the Specification
aforesaid, and all and every thing therein contained and specified, in form
above written. And also the Specification aforesaid was stamped according
to the tenor of the Statute made for that purpose.
Enrolled the Sixth day of November, in the year of our Lord One
thousand eight hundred and forty-nine.