IMPROVEMENTS IN REELING APPARATUS FOR WINDING YARN INTO HANKS
Year: 1855

page_text: PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Ebenezer Mackinlay at the
Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on the 17th,
October 1855.
I, EBENEZER MACKINLAY, of Glasgow, in the County of Lanark, North
Britain, Manager, do hereby declare the nature of the said Invention for
"IMPROVEMENTS IN REELING APPARATUS FOR WINDING YARN INTO HANKS to be
as follows, that is to say:-
This Invention relates to certain improvements in the construction of reeling.
apparatus for winding yarns into hanks, whereby such apparatus is rendered
automatic to a greater. extent than heretofore, and considerable economy is
effected in this branch of manufacture by the consequent saving of time and
labour. In the ordinary reeling apparatus, several ends of yarns are wound
upon one recl; but in the improved apparatus it is preferred to have a separate
reel for each end, so that when the requirements of one end of yarn call for
the stopping of the reel, such stopping will not affect the entire series of yarn
ends. When a certain portion of a yarn end is wound upon the reel, the yarn
guide or cop carrier shifts laterally, so as to separate the end or hank of yarn
as wound upon the reel into eight or any other convenient number of skeins.
In ordinary reeling apparatus the required shift is effected by means of a
weight and ratchet movement, but in one direction only, the attendant having
to shift back the guide or cop carrier for a fresh start for each set of ends.
According to the present Invention, however, this movement is rendered

page_text: altogether self-acting, and takes place alternately in opposite directions, being
effected by means of a ratchet wheel, which is set round a tooth at each
revolution of the measuring wheel, which is the same as in ordinary machines.
This ratchet wheel has fixed to it a small segmental toothed rack, which in
turning gears alternately with two racks, situated on opposite sides of it, &
fixed to the under side of the small plate carrying the cop and yarn guides.
Thus, when this segmental rack is in gear on one side it shifts the carrier
in one direction, and when it is in gear on the opposite side it shifts in the
opposite direction. The guide through which the yarn passes in going upon
the reel is carried upon a light lever, centred eccentrically as regards its weight,
so as to fall when the yarn breaks, and does not hold it up. In falling, this
lever pushes a thin metal finger piece across a slot in the lever or bar, the
descent of which throws the reel spindle out of gear with the driving pulley.
When the apparatus is working regularly, a reciprocating bar, actuated by an
eccentric or similar movement upon the reel spindle, works down into the slot
in the stopping bar or lever; but when the yarn breaks, the finger piece is
interposed across the slot, and the next descent of the reciprocating bar
carries down the stopping bar or lever, and stops the apparatus. A similar
stopping action comes into play when the hank is completed. For this
purpose the ratchet wheel, by means of which the cop carrier is shifted
laterally, is fitted with pins in suitable positions, which pins act upon a second
finger piece, causing it to be inserted across the slot of.the, stopping bar or
lever, so that the next descent of the reciprocating bar stops the apparatus, as-
in the case of the broken yarn.