Improvements in Mules and Twiners for Spinning and Doubling Cotton and other Fibrous Substances.
Year: 1889

page_text: Date of Application, 4th July, 1889
Complete Specification Left, 3rd Apr., 1890-Accepted, 3rd May, 1890
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Mules and Twiners for Spinning and Doubling
Cotton and other Fibrous Substances.
We RICHARD CURTIS, Engineer and JOHN WAIN Foreman both of Phoenix Works
Manchester in the County of Lancaster do hereby declare the nature of this invention
to be as follows:―
This invention relates to an arrangement of apparatus for putting into and out of
gear at the required times, the "drawing out catch-box," the "front roller-catch-
box" and the drawing-up friction gear" whereby we are enabled to dispense altogether
with the cam shaft and its appurtenances.
For this purpose we mount on the quadrant axle, at its inner end, a short arm
which is connected by a link to a hanging lever keyed on a transverse shaft, which
latter is carried in suitable bearings at the front end of the headstock.
On this transverse shaft we also key an upright lever and the upper end of this
we connect by a link to a sliding boss working between two coiled springs on a
sliding rod, the back end of which is in connection with the change lever that actuates
the "backshaft catch box" for the drawing out motion and the front roller "catch-
box" throwing them respectively in and out of gear at the proper moment as
required. The outer ends of these spiral springs bear against two collars fixed on
the sliding rod.
ני
When the "quadrant" moves in either direction the short arm above mentioned
causes the lever to compress one or other of the spiral springs, leaving the other
spring perfectly free and idle.
At or near each end of the sliding rod is fixed a stud or projection above which is a
catch lever which holds against the same. The end of the catch lever is formed
with an inclined plane, and as the carriage approaches the end of its course either
to or from the rollers, a collar or boss fixed on the faller shaft comes against the
inclined plane and thus lifts the catch lever and releases the spiral spring which had
been compressed and allows it to expand and cause the sliding rod to act on the
"backshaft-catch-box" or on the front-roller catch-box so as to put them either in
or out of gear as the case may be, by means of levers and rod's connected to the
back end of the sliding rod as already described.
These clutch levers are so arranged with regard to each other that they cannot
both act together, that is to say when one is in action the other must of necessity be
out of action and vice versa.
A similar contrivance, but acting only in one direction is used for actuating the
scroll-friction gear for drawing in the carriage. In this case the sliding rod is
provided with one spring only, and it is compressed by means of another lever also
keyed upon the above named transverse shaft and worked by the movement of the
"quadrant" and it is released by a boss keyed or fixed on the counter faller shaft
coming against a catch lever as the carriage runs in to the rollers so as to allow the
coiled spring to act and liberate the "drawing-up friction" at the proper time.
Dated this 3rd of Inly 1889
GEORGE DAVIES,
4, St. Ann's Square, Manchester, Agent for the Applicants.
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Mules and Twiners for Spinning and Doubling.
Cotton and other Fibrous Substances.
We RICHARD CURTIS, Engineer and JOHN WAIN Foreman both of Phoenix Works
Manchester in the County of Lancaster do hereby declare the nature of this invention
Pind

page_text: and in what manner the same is to be performed, to be particularly described and
ascertained in and by the following statement:-—
This invention relates to an arrangement of apparatus for putting into and out of
gear at the required times, the "drawing-out-catch-box" the "front-roller-catch-
box" and the drawing-up friction gear" whereby we are enabled to dispense
altogether with the cam-shaft and its appurtenances.
The nature of our said invention and the manner in which the same is to be
performed or carried into practical effect will be readily understood on reference to
the annexed sheet of drawings, and the following explanation thereof.
Fig. 1 is an elevation partly in section and Fig. 2 a plan view of so much of the
headstock of a self-acting mule as is necessary to illustrate our invention.
a is part of the headstock framing 6 the backshaft, e the quadrant, & the quadrant
armi, and e the scroll shaft.
end
For the purposes of our invention we mount on the quadrant axle, at its inner end,
a short arm which is connected by a link g to a hanging lever h fixed on or cast
with a transverse rocking shaft i which latter is carried in suitable. bearings at the
front of the headstock.
On this transverse shaft we also fix or cast an upright lever k and the upper end, of
this we connect by a link to a sliding boss m working between two coiled springs m
and m², on a sliding rod n the back end of which is connected at n' with the cranked
change lever o which actuates the "back-shaft catch-box" 6 for putting in gear the
drawing out, motion of the carriage.
+1.
This lever o also acts upon another lever o' which is connected by a link o³, and
lever o to the front roller catch-box o₁, thus throwing the drawing-out motion, and
the front roller-catch-box into and out of gear simultaneously at the proper moment.
The outer ends of the spiral springs m₁ and m², bear against two collars n² and n³,
fixed on the sliding rod n.
As the spindle carriage is going out and the quadrant c and the quadrant arm.d
move in the same direction, the short arm f acting (through the links 9 and 7 and
the levers and k) on the sliding boss m compresses the spring m¹, the rod n being
prevented from sliding with the boss m by means of a catch lever p at the front
end, the other spring m³, remaining perfectly free and idle.
"As the carriage completes its stretch, a boss p¹ on the counter faller shaft p² raises
the catch lever p by coming into contact with the inclined part thereof, and allows
the spring m¹ to expand and the rod n being thereby moved in the direction of the
arrow puts the "drawing-out" and front roller catch boxes out of gear, and at the
same time lets down the catch lever på, at the back end of the headstock.
As the carriage runs in towards the rollers the reverse movement of the quadrant
draws the sliding boss m in the opposite direction thus compressing the spring m²,
which is held by the catch lever p³, in a similar way and as the carriage completes its.
"run-in" the faller shaft q or a boss thereon releases the catch lever p³, by coming
against the inclined part thereof and allows the spring m³, to expand and throw the
drawing-out, and front-roller catch-boxes into gear again.
A similar contrivance but acting in one direction only is used for actuating the
scroll friction gear for drawing in the carriage.
In this case the sliding rod is provided with one spring only and it is compressed
as the carriage runs out by means of another lever cast upon the rocking shaft i and
worked by the movement of the quadrant c, and is held compressed by a latch,
and a lug on the rod r until the carriage runs up to the roller beam and is relieved
by a boss fixed on the faller shaft g coming against the latch lever ², catch lever p³,
as the carriage completes its run in to the rollers, and so allow the coiled spring 1
and the coiled spring m² to act and liberate the drawing up friction and stop the
inward run of the carriage and put the backshaft catch box and front roller catch
box in contact to draw the carriage out.
We may mention that the drawing up friction is allowed to go in gear by the
locking of the faller sector in the usual way and held in gear by the spring r¹ until
the latches, and p³, are liberated by the faller shaft q.

page_text: The spring abuts against a collar carried by a levers which is mounted on the
fulcrum of the fork which acts upon the drawing-up friction & shown by dotted
lines on Fig. 1.
The spring r¹, when compressed holds the friction firmly when in gear and the
expansion of the said spring releases the same and allows it to be thrown out of gear
by the spring m³ causing the lever o to come in contact with the top part of the
lever 8.
8
The upper end of the lever and the lever o are so arranged with regard to each
other, that they cannot both act together, that is to say, when the front roller, and
drawing out catch boxes are in action, the drawing up friction gear must of necessity
be out of action and vice versa.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of our said
invention and in what manner the same is to be performed we declare that what
we claim is :-
--
The arrangement of apparatus substantially as herein before described and illustrated
by the drawings annexed, for putting into and out of gear the "drawing-out" and
"front roller catch boxes," and the drawing-up" friction gear, whether employed
separately or in combination with each other.
Dated this and do of Anvil 1800
GEORGE DAVIES,
4, St. Ann's Square, Manchester, Agent for the Applicants.
GEORGE DAVIES,
4, St. Ann's Square, Manchester, Agent for the Applicants.