IMPROVEMENTS IN SPINNING MACHINES KNOWN AS MULES, AND IN MACHINES OF SIMILAR CHARACTER
Year: 1854

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to John Healey, of Bolton-le-Moors, in the County of
Lancaster, Engineer, for the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN SPINNING
MACHINES KNOWN AS MULES, AND IN MACHINES OF SIMILAR CHARACTER."—A
communication from Adolphe Peynaud and Edmond Peynaud, Manu-
facturers, of Charleval près Fleury sur Andelle, Departement de l'Eure,
France.
Sealed the 16th May 1854, and dated the 6th January 1854.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said John Healey at the Office
of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on the 6th January
1854.
JOHN HEALEY, of Bolton-le-Moors, in the County of Lancaster, En-,
gineer, do hereby declare the nature of the said Invention for "IMPROVE-
MENTS IN SPINNING MACHINES KNOWN AS MULES, AND IN MACHINES OF BIMILAR
CHARACTER," a communication, to be as follows:-
These improvements refer principally to self-acting mules, and to those con-
structed on the principle known as Sharp, Roberts, & Co.
They consist, firstly, of using a "cam" pulley instead of a cylindrical one
for bringing out the carriage, so that the points of the spindles will recede from
the rollers at a speed uniform with their delivery, which is not the case when
the carriage has a uniform motion throughout the stretch, as the points of the
spindles are below the level of the rollers.
Secondly, in constructing the "copping" rail or "shaper" so as to rise or

page_text: fall perpendicularly, and in hinging a portion of the "shaper" at the end so
that at it's inclination can be varied to give a proportional lowering of the
fallers during the whole formation of the "cop "suited to it's varying shape, the
portion of the shaper which is hinged being that which governs the fallers
from the commencement of the winding on from the smallest to the largest
part of the cone of the "cops." Both ends of the shaper and hinged piece
separately rest on inclines or forms all connected together, which, when moved
by ordinary means, gives to each end of the shaper and the hinged piece a
proportional lowering as the cop builds.
Thirdly, in the use (instead of the ordinary pinion and toothed quadrant) of
an eccentric toothed wheel and quadrant calculated to such form as will give
to the arm to which the winding on chain is attached that variable angular
motion required by the form of the cop for the correct winding on of the thread,
which the ordinary toothed quadrant (being uniform) does not give. By
angular motion, it is meant the motion of the arın of the quadrant round it's
axis.
Fourthly, in the arrangement and construction of mechanism forming the
connection between the fallers and shaper during the winding on, and by
which they are released or permitted to rise when the operation is finished. It's
peculiarity consists in it's arrangement for varying the time of the rise of the
fallers in proportion to the increased size of the cop to prevent "snarls" from
slackness of the threads and breakage. It is explained generally as follows:-
When the fallers descend, a bar connected with them having a slot in it is
made by a spring and levers to latch on the stud of the friction bowl which
moves on the shaper rail, so that when the carriage goes in, the fallers are
depressed and elevated by partaking of the motion of the friction bowl as it
runs along the shaper, when the carriage gets nearly in a prolongation of the
bar referred to, strikes against a stop fixed on the framing of the machine or
floor of the room, which unlatches the bar from the stud of the friction bowl,
and thus releases the fallers and permits them to rise. That this unlatching
may take place later each stretch, an incline or properly shaped piece is screwed
on the prolongation of the bar, and as this bar lowers with the "shaper,"
the incline piece which has it's larger end downwards is struck later each
"stretch."
Fifthly, in the mode of giving motion to the screw of the quadrant for
raising the nut, to which the winding on chain is attached. An endless cord is
passed partly round the pulley, driving the wheels of the screw round a pulley
clutch box on "the winding on shaft" in the carriage, and partly round a return
or carrier pulley on the framing: the cord has no motion but at the times the

page_text: pulley clutch box is in connection with the winding on, which is brought in and
out by a lever centred on the carriage, which is put in action by an excentric
or cam fixed on the shaft or axis of the counter faller. When the counter faller
descends below a fixed elevation, the excentric gives motion to the lever, which
brings the pulley clutch box in geer with the winding on, and thus imparts
motion to the cord.
Sixthly, this improvement consists in placing the racks of the "squaring
shaft" (the means by which the carriage is brought out parallel with the rollers)
above instead of below the pinions, by which arrangement the teeth are free
from dirt.
Seventhly, in the means employed to prevent the too sudden contact of the
friction pulley "for backing off," which is very prejudicial to the geering. Cams
on the cam shaft according to the usual construction bring the friction in and
out of contact; here the cam is made active or positive to bring the friction
out of contact, and passive (or permits) to bring it into geer, the act being
performed by a spring, but this spring is restrained in it's action by mechanism,
which regulates the speed at which it shall act. As the action of the spring
is to pull the friction into contact, the cam which takes it out charges it. The
mechanism which regulates the speed at which the spring shall act is a ratchet
wheel or a screw, which is revolved continuously so as to progress in the
direction in which the spring acts. The speed of the wheel or progress of the
screw determines the speed at which the spring shall act, as a pawl or catch
attached to the lever on which the spring acts takes into the teeth of the wheel
or threads of the screw, and thus props the lever to resist the action of the
spring, but as it's point of support travels backwards the spring gradually
brings the friction to turn the backing off into action.
Eighthly, the mode of working the cam shaft, or as it is called by the
Inventors "the shaft of four motions."
The apparatus for this purpose, and in which this improvement consists, is
intended to remedy that uncertainty of action which attaches to the apparatus
at present in use, and it may be used either by itself or as auxiliary to it. It
is accomplished as follows:-One end of a spring is secured to the cam shaft,
the other to a wheel loose upon it, which is revolved continuously in the direc-
tion in which the cam shaft is to be revolved, and at a speed equal to that
which the cam shaft would make if revolved uniformly. Now the cam shaft
has to make four moves to complete one operation of the machine, a quarter of
a revolution at once, and it has to do it quickly, and then wait. It will therefore
be seen that the wheel loose on the cam shaft moving continuously will charge
the spring while the cam shaft is waiting for the time of it's next move, the

page_text: tension of which (when the shaft is liberated or permitted to turn,) will pull
round the shaft to it's next position, and that while in that position the wheel
will have charged the spring for the next operation, and so on.
Ninthly, in a break applied to the winding on drum pulley to hold it, so that
the catches will immediately take into the teeth of the ratchet wheel.
Tenthly, in the use of two twist bands (bands to drive the spindles to put
twist into the thread), both driving simultaneously, either of them capable of
doing the work separately.
This arrangement saves banding, and in case one of the bands should break,
there is no stoppage of the machine.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent, filed
by the said John Healey in the Great Seal Patent Office on the
30th June 1854.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, JOHN
HEALEY, of Bolton-le-Moors, in the County of Lancaster, Engineer, send
greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her Letters
Patent, bearing date the Sixth day of January in the year of our Lord
One thousand eight hundred and fifty-four, in the seventeenth year of Her
reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give and grant unto me,
the said John Healey, Her especial licence that I, the said John Healey, my
executors, administrators, and assigns, or such others as I, the said John
Healey, my 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
MACHINES KNOWN AS MULES, AND IN MACHINES OF SIMILAR CHARACTER," con-
municated to me by Adolphe Peynand and Edmond Peynand, Manufacturers,
of Charleval, près Fleury sur Andelle, Department de l'Eure, France, upon
the condition (amongst others) that I, the said John Healey, by an instru-
ment in writing under my hand and seal, should particularly describe and
ascertain the nature of the said Invention, 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 John Healey, do hereby declare the
nature of my said Invention, and in what manner the same is to be performed,
to be particularly described and ascertained in and by the following statement
and accompanying Drawings (that is to say):-
My improvements in spinning machines relate principally to self-acting
mules, and particularly to those constructed on the principle known as
"Sharps, Roberts, & Company's." The Drawings annexed hereto are upon
two Sheets, and they exhibit several views of those parts of self-acting
spinning machines, technically termed the "headstock" and carriage, in which
are shewn as much of the well-known parts in connection with these improve-
ments as will be necessary to describe them. Fig. 1 is an elevation of one
side of the headstock and a sectional view of the headstock part of the
carriage; Fig. 2 is a corresponding view of the opposite side; Fig. 3 is an
elevation of the front end of the headstock; Fig. 4 is a plan view of the
headstock; Fig. 5, an elevation of headstock part of the carriage; Fig. 6.
plan of the same; Figs. 7, 8, and 9, show a detached view of a part and a
modification of one of the improvements. The same letters and figures of
reference will be used in each Figure of the Drawings, and will denote the
same or corresponding parts.
The first improvement relates to the cam or pulley employed to bring out
the carriage, and it consists in using a cam a, shaped so as to bring the
carriage from the rollers at such speed that the points of the spindles will
recede from the nip of the rollers at one exact and uniform speed, which is
not the case when the pulley or cam employed is cylindrical. By this
improvement the yarn or threads will be uniformly stretched.
The second of these improvements relates to the "shaper" or copping
rail, and it consists in hinging a portion of a rail moving vertically, so that its
inclination may be varied to give a proportional lowering to the fallers
during the whole formation of the cop suited to its varying shape, that portion
of "the shaper rail" which is hinged, being that which governs the fallers
from the commencement of the winding on from the smallest to the largest
part of the cone of the cop. b, (see Fig. 1,) is the "shaper rail," which
is free vertically in grooves; 61, 63, is the hinged part of the shaper rail;
, studs in the shaper rail and hinged piece b³, which rest upon the forms
or inclines 6. These inclines or forms are all connected together by a bar b³,
and can be and are thus simultaneously moved by the usual means (a
screw 6*). It will now be seen with this arrangement, that each end of the
rail b, and the hinged part 6², may have at the same time a movement differing
in extent from each other according to the shape of the form or inclines b*,

page_text: which will afford a facility whereby the lowering of the fallers in winding on
from the small to the large part of the cone of the cop may be regulated, as
well as the winding on from the large to the small part of the cone of the cop.
The third improvement relates to the mode of giving motion to the radial
arm c*, which regulates the winding on, and it consists in employing,
instead of the ordinary toothed pinion and quadrant, an excentric toothed
pinion c, and quadrant c', of a form calculated to produce that variable
angular motion in the radial arm c*, required by the form of the cop for the
correct winding on of the thread, which the ordinary toothed pinion and
quadrant (being uniform) does not give.
The fourth improvement relates to the arrangement and construction of
the mechanism forming the connection between the fallers (e) and the "shaper
rail" (6) during the winding on, and by which they are released or permitted
to rise when the operation is finished, as follows:-(d) is the bar through
which the connection is formed between the fallers ex, and "the shaper rail b;
the upper end of it (d¹) is free to slide up and down in a swivel eye d',
fitted and projecting from the bearers of the fallers (e), and it is also pro-
vided with a cross slot d³, for the pin d to pass through, by which the tail
of the faller lever e³, (which is forked, the fulcrum or shaft being at e,) is
connected with the bar d. The lower end of the bar d passes thro' a slot in
the plate f, in which it is also free to slide up and down; the plate f is kept
from side movement by a pin f¹, which passes thro' another slot in it, &
the end of it is connected by an adjusting arrangement to an arm g', from a
shaft g, secured to the carriage A; is the friction bowl which runs upon
the shaper rail b; it is fixed on a pin 63, secured to the end of a forked arm b
having its fulcrum secured to the back of the carriage A. The fork part of
the arm 7 takes on each side of the bar d, and the pin on which the bowl
is fixed passes through a vertical slot d³, in the bar d. The bottom of this slot
has a short horizontal cut sufficient to admit the pin (68) to the end of the plate
f; and to the back of the carriage A is attached a spring f, the action of
which is to pull the lower end of the bar & towards the back of the carriage.
It will now be seen that when the fallers e are lowering in "backing off"
(unwinding the threads from the upper parts of the spindles previous to
commencing to wind on), the bar d will rise until the cross slot comes
opposite the pin ³ in the fork end of the arm b, when the spring f will pul
the bar d, and then the pin (63) will enter the cross slot, and thus the con-
nection will be formed between the fallers e and the copping or shaper rail b
The communication between the mechanism just described, and the mechanism
for backing off and taking in the carriage is effected as follows:-A shaft h

page_text: having two arms, is fixed in bearings on the headstock frame B; one of its
arms his connected by a rod h³ with the beam h*, and the other arm h²
carries a pin h. This pin may act and be acted upon by a second arm g³ of
the shaft g, fixed to carriage, and already referred to as having an arm joined
to the plate f. When the carriage has come out and the beam h* is unlatched,
it will drop, and will then be sustained by the pin 4, in the arm h³, resting
on the arm g, till the bar d latches on the pin 6, when simultaneously with it
the arm g' of the shaft g will go back, consequently the arms h2, h3, will all lower,
and will allow the beam h* to drop, and put out the "backing off," and put
in the "taking in" of the carriage. When the carriage has gone in, the bar d
requires unlatching from the pin 6, in the forked arm &, so as to release the
fallers e, and allow them to rise; this is effected by the lower end of the bar d
striking against a stop de fixed to the framing of the headstock or floor of the
At the commencement of the cop the fallers require releasing furthest
from the rollers, and as it builds, they are released later and later, or at less
and less distance from the rollers. This is accomplished by a form or shape d',
which is fixed to the lower end of the bar d, against the face of which the
stop d strikes on the carriage going in. It will be seen that the bar d will
lower with the shaper rail b as the cop builds, and that the stop d' will strike
the form d (shaped as it is) later every descent of the shaper rail b.
room.
The 5th improvement relates to the mode of giving motion to the screw of
the radial arm c*, for raising the nut c, to which the winding on chain or rope
is attached. An endless cord i is passed partly round a pulley 2, attached to
one of the bevil wheels c, conveying motion to the screw c', and round a
pulley, on the winding on shaft j in the carriage, to which pulley one half of a
clutch box is attached, the other half being attached to the winding on drum j¹,
and partly round another pulley ", on the framing of the headstock. The
pulley clutch box 3 on the winding on shaft is loose and free on the shaft;
therefore the endless band or cord i does not receive any motion except when
the pulley clutch box is in geer with that part attached to the winding on
drum. The clutch box is brought in and out of geer by the action of the
counter faller shaft e, by an inclined slot or groove formed in the segment of
a cylinder e, (shewn detached at Fig. 7,) secured to an arm of the counter
faller into which takes a pin placed in the end of a lever having its
fulcrum on a bracket secured to the carriage, which lever forms the clutch box
fork, to bring the pulley clutch box , in and out of geer. With the above
described arrangement, it follows, that when the thread is winding on too fast,
the counter faller will be depressed, which will cause the incline of the slot or
groove (see Fig. 7.) to act upon the pin in the arm of the clutch fork t, and

page_text: thus bring the clutch in geer, and give motion to the endless band or cord i, to
raise the nut c².
The sixth improvement relates to the arrangement for keeping the carriage
parallel to the roller beam. It consists in placing the toothed racks (when
shafts are employed for this purpose) above the pinions, by which arrangement
dirt will be prevented from getting in the teeth.
The seventh improvement relates to a method of preventing the too sudden
contact of the friction pulleys k for backing off, which is very prejudicial to the
geering. Cams placed on the cam shaft l, according to the usual construction,
are employed, that will bring the friction pulleys & both in and out of contact
(double action), but by this improvement the cam (1) is single acting, and is
made active or positive, to bring the friction pulleys out of contact only, and
passive (permitting) to bring them into contact, the act being performed by a
spring. But this spring is restrained in its action by an arrangement of
mechanism which regulates the speed at which it shall act; and as the action
of the spring is to pull the friction pulleys into contact, the cam which takes it
out charges it. One mode of carrying this into effect is as follows:- are the
friction pulleys for backing off; k¹, clutch fork in connection with friction
pulley *, carrying at one end a friction bowl, which is acted upon by the face
of the cam on the cam shaft 7. To the clutch fork lever k¹, another vertical
lever is connected, having its fulcrum secured on the headstock frame, and
to the lower end of this lever a spring k is attached, the elastic force of which
will bring the friction pulleys k into contact, when permitted by the cam 1,
and regulating mechanism which consists of a ratchet wheel k', on a shaft ko,
secured in bearings to the headstock frame, revolved continuously in one
direction by means of a worm 7, on the taking out shaft k³, taking into a
worm wheel, on the shaft ; the lever k³ communicates with the ratchet
wheel by a pawl a jointed to it, which takes into the teeth of the ratchet ",
so that when the cam allows the spring k to act, it is held (or proped) by
the pawl, and can only bring the friction pulleys into action at the speed at
which the ratchet moves, the ratchet moving in the same direction in which
the spring acts. The speed at which the spring shall act is regulated by the
speed of the ratchet. A worm or screw with a ratchet tooth thread may be
employed in place of the ratchet wheel. This modification is shewn by Fig. 8,
a plan view, and Fig. 9, a side elevation. The spring for to bring the friction
pulleys into contact may be placed, as shewn, one end being attached to an
arm from the lever clutch fork ', and the other to a bracket on the framing
of the headstock, and a screw k³, with a ratchet tooth thread may be placed on
the shaft m, to regulate the speed at which the spring k is to act, having a

page_text: pawl taking into it, jointed to the arm projecting from the clutch fork kª.
The pitch of the screw thread will regulate the speed of the action.
.
The eighth improvement relates to a mode of working the cam shaft l, or as
it is called by the Inventors, the shaft of 4 motions. The apparatus for this
purpose, and in which this improvement consists, is intended to remedy that
uncertainty of action which attaches to the apparatus at present in use, and it
may be used either by itself or as an auxiliary to it. It is accomplished as
follows:-One end of a spring is secured to the cam shaft, the other to a wheel
loose upon it, which may be revolved continuously in the direction in which
the cam shaft is to be revolved, and at a speed equal to that which the cam
shaft would make if revolved uniformly. Now the cam shaft has to make
4 moves to complete one operation of the machine, a quarter of a revolution at
once, and it has to do it quickly and then wait. It will therefore be seen that
the wheel loose on the cam shaft moving continuously will charge the spring,
while the cam shaft is waiting for the time of its next movement, the tension
of which (when the shaft is liberated or permitted to turn) will pull round the
shaft to its next position, and that while in that position the wheel will have
charged the spring for the next operation, and so on. From the preceding
explanation, the principle acted upon will be readily understood, and it will be
seen that it is not absolutely necessary that the wheel charging the spring
should move continuously, provided there is a capacity in the spring for a
reserve of elastic force; it may then move intermittently, or quick and slow, or
in a contrary direction for a short distance, to which the cam shaft moves, pro-
vided it leaves sufficient force in the spring to turn the shaft when it is
liberated. But whatever be the motion given to the wheel, it must make one
revolution for one of the cam shaft, so that the tension of the spring at any
given point of its revolution will always remain the same.
If the arrangement
is used by itself to effect the changes in the cam shaft without the aid of the
friction pulleys n, then it will be best to give the wheel charging the spring a
continuous motion, by which provision a spring of less capacity may be used;
but this may be modified to suit local circumstances and convenience. In the
Drawings annexed hereto, this arrangement is shewn attached as an auxiliary
to the apparatus now generally in use. A bevil wheel p' is fixed on the twist
shaft P, geering into one p², secured on the shaft p³, fixed in bearings to the
frame, and on this shaft a spur wheel p* is keyed, geering into another p³,
loose on the cam shaft l, for charging the spring P, to which it is attached.
This spring is of the helical form, and is attached to a plate P, secured on the
"cam shaft". The shaft p makes one revolution for one operation of the

page_text: machine, and the intermediate wheels being equal, the wheel charging the
spring will make one revolution in the same time.
The ninth improvement consists in the arrangement of the break q, shewn in
the Drawings, Figs. 5 and 6, as applied to the winding on drum ¹, to cause
the catch or pawl to engage and disengage with the ratchet wheel q¹, with a
small amount of motion.
The tenth improvement consists in employing two twist bands (bands to
drive the spindles to put twist in the thread), both driving simultaneously, and
either of them capable of doing the work separately. This arrangement saves
banding, and in case one of the bands should break, there is no stoppage of the
machine.
I have now particularly described the nature of this Invention, and the
manner in which it may be carried into effect, and wish it to be understood
that I do not confine myself to the precise details, but claim the several
improvements herein-before described, whether used singly or together, so long
as their peculiarities are substantially retained.
In witness whereof, I, the said John Healey, have hereunto set my hand
and seal, this 29th day of June, in the year of our Lord One thousand
eight hundred and fifty-four.
JOHN HEALEY. (L.S.)