Improvements in Self Acting Mules.
Year: 1891

page_text: Date of Application, 28th Dec., 1891
Complete Specification Left, 7th Sept., 1892-Accepted, 8th Oct., 1892
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Self Acting Mules.
I, JOHN CLEGG, of the firm of Asa Lecs and Company Limited, of Soho
Iron Works, Oldham, in the County of Lancaster, Manager of Mule Depart-
ment, do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as follows:-
My invention relates to improvements in self acting mules, and the object of my
improvements is to prevent the sliding clutch on the back shaft from jumping out of
gear with the spur wheel which drives the drag motion wheels just at the moment
when the carriage starts on its outward run, this jumping causing cut yarn and
broken wheels; after the carriage has travelled a few inches the tendency to jump
is gone and the latch is automatically removed.
In carrying my improvements into effect I mount a bracket on the headstock and
on this bracket is pivoted a swinging latch lever which when free always tends to
fall forward so as to latch the drawing out or clutch fork lever also on the bracket
is fulcrumed a weighted depressing lever which when in its normal position by a
projection thereon holds the swinging latch lever back clear of the drawing out or
clutch fork lever.
In operation a bowl on the mule carriage comes upon and moves the depressing
lever, the projection on which leaves the latch lever thus allowing the latter to fall
forward and latch the drawing out or clutch fork lever, the clutch at that moment
being in gear with the spur wheel. As soon as the bowl on the mule carriage
leaves the depressing lever the latter rises and its projection knocks back the
swinging latch lever and so unlatches the drawing out or clutch fork lever.
The use of a latch lever in combination with a depressing lever enables me to
employ only a very light spring in the drawing out or clutch fork lever connections
in place of the powerful spring now employed to force the clutch into gear and keep
it there.
The light spring permits the teeth on the clutch to slip over the clutch teeth on
the spur wheel in case of any accidental interference with the motion of the
carriage.
Dated this 24th day of December 1801
H. B. BARLOW,
Agent for Applicant.
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Self Acting Mules.
I, JOHN CLEGG, of the firm of Asa Lees and Company Limited, of Soho
Iron Works, Oldham, in the County of Lancaster, Manager of Mule Depart-
ment, 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 :-
My invention relates to improvements in self acting mules, and the object of my
improvements is to prevent the sliding clutch on the back shaft from jumping out of
gear with the spur wheel which drives the drag motion wheels just at the moment
when the carriage starts on its outward run this jumping causing cut yarn and
broken wheels, after the carriage has travelled a few inches the tendency to jump
is gone and the latch is automatically removed.
And in order that my invention may be fully understood and readily carried
into effect I will describe the accompanying sheet of drawings reference being
had to the figures and letters marked thereon.

page_text: Figure 1 is a side elevation and Figure 2 a plan of the sliding clutch on the
back shaft and my improved mechanism for latching and operating the same.
In these views,-a designates the back shaft which has mounted thereon in
the usual way the spur wheel which drives the drag motion wheels and the
sliding clutch c which engages clutch teeth on said spur wheel.
In carrying my improvements into effect 1 mount a bracket d on the head-
stock e, and on this bracket d is pivoted at a swinging latch lever f which
when free always tends to fall forward so as to latch the drawing out or clutch
fork lever g which is fulcrumed on the stud ; also on the bracket d is
fulcrumed at a depressing lever which is weighted at j', and, when in its normal
position, by a projection thereon holds the swinging latch lever back clear of the
drawing out or clutch fork lever g.
C
In operation a bowl k mounted on a stud on the mule carriage (not shown in
the drawings) comes upon and moves down the depressing lever j, the projection j
on which leaves the swinging latch lever f, thus allowing the latter to fall forward
and latch the drawing out or clutch fork lever g, the sliding clutch at that moment
being in gear with the spur wheel b. The clutch e thus remains latched and cannot
jump out of gear whilst the mule carriage travels through the first five or six inches
of its outward run, and until the tendency to jump has been overcome, then as soon
as the bowl k is carried beyond and so leaves the depressing lever j, the latter-rises
and its projection knocks back the swinging latch lever and thus unlatches the
drawing out or clutch fork lever g; but the clutch c remains in gear with the spur
wheel until the usual change is effected by the cam shaft through the drawing out
or clutch fork lever g.
The use of a latch lever such as fin combination with a depressing lever such as j
operated by a bowl or stud on the inule carriage enables me to employ only a very
light spring attached to the stud m or elsewhere in the drawing out or clutch fork
lever connections in place of the powerful spring hitherto employed to force the
sliding clutch into gear and keep it there. The light spring above named permits
the teeth on the clutch c to slip over the clutch teeth on the spur wheel in case of
any accidental interference with the motion of the mule carriage.
C
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said inven-
tion and in what manner the same is to be performed I declare that what I
claim is :-
1. The combination with the drawing out or clutch fork lever which operates the
sliding clutch on the back shaft, of a swinging latch lever and a depressing lever
actuated by a bowl or stud on the mule carriage, all combined arranged and
operating substantially as and for the purposes herein set forth.
2. The combination and general arrangement of parts embodying my improve-
ments in self acting mules substantially as and for the purposes herein described
and as shown on the accompanying drawings.
Dated this 6th day of September 1892.
H. B. BARLOW,
17, St. Ann's Square, Manchester, Agent for Applicant.