Improvements in Apparatus for Testing or Ascertaining the Strength of Yarn, Thread, Wire, and the like, and for Weighing.
Year: 1895

page_text: Date of Application, 10th Aug., 1895
Complete Specification Left, 8th May, 1896-Accepted, 4th July, 1896
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Apparatus for Testing or Ascertaining the
Strength of Yarn, Thread, Wire, and the like, and for
Weighing.
I, CHARLES HILL, of Saint James Road Works, Forfar, in the County of
Forfar, North Britain. Cashier, do hereby declare the nature of this invention to
be as follows, that is to say :-
My said invention has for its object the application of improved apparatus for
testing or ascertaining the strength of various materials of a thread-like or wire-
like character, and for weighing; the results being obtained and indicated in the
improved apparatus automatically and without the manual adjustment of weights.
An important part of the apparatus is a vessel for containing water or other
suitable liquid and provided with a valved outlet at its bottom. The vessel is
suspended from one arm of a lever the other arm of which is counterweighted, or
has the article to be weighed suspended from it. When about to make a test with
the apparatus, the vessel is supplied with an excess of liquid, that is with more
than what will balance the article to be weighed, or will balance so much of the
counterweight as will make its effect less than the estimated strength of the yarn
or other material to be tested. Then, automatically or otherwise, the outlet valve
of the vessel is opened, and the liquid runs out, but the outlet valve is automatically
closed instantly on the quantity of liquid becoming diminished sufficiently for the
purpose in view. The details of the apparatus are susceptible of variation to suit
different circumstances and requirements, but a modification suitable for testing
yarn may be described as an example.
In the yarn-tester a pillar fixed on a base supports at its upper end on knife
edges a lever extending in opposite directions from the fulcrum. A weight is
fixed on one arm of the lever, and this arm can move up and down in a guide
between stops. The vessel for liquid is suspended from the other arm of the
lever; and the place for the yarn is between the vessel and the pillar. For
securing the lower end of the yarn to be tested there is fitted in a mounting on the
base of the pillar, a small barrel having a ratchet wheel fixed to it, a spring pawl
on the mounting engaging with the ratchet wheel. A spring tongue on the barrel
serves for holding the end of the yarn. For holding the upper end of the yarn,
there is provided a small top barrel having a spring tongue, and made with end
journals which rest in bearing notches in the sides of the lever, which is made
A number of yarn
with two side plates connected by cross bars at various parts.
ends are usually wound upon the top barrel, and one at a time is attached to the
lower barrel for being tested. In the position of the parts at the commencement
of a test, and when a yarn has been wound just tight upon the lower barrel, the
length of yarn subjected to strain may be the usual 36 inches; or the apparatus
may be arranged for any other convenient length. The top barrel has pins
projecting from its ends in positions to act on a pair of small levers centered on
the sides of the main lever, and these small levers have jointed to them a bridle
to which is adjustably connected a cord led over a guide pulley and descending
thence through the axis of the vessel to the outlet valve at the bottom. A weight,
or it might be a spring, tends to keep the outlet valve shut; but when a yarn end,

page_text: on being wound upon the lower barrel, becomes tight, it turns the top barrel, the
pins of which acting through the described connections cause the opening of the
valve. As the liquid runs out of the vessel the effect of the counterweight arm
of the lever gradually increases until the yarn breaks, whereupon the outlet valve,
being no longer kept open by the tension of the yarn, is instantly shut by its
weight or spring. The position of the level of the liquid remaining in the vessel
indicates the strain on the yarn at the moment of breaking; and a graduated
scale, indicating pounds or other convenient weights, may be affixed to the vessel,
such vessel being made wholly or partly of glass, or being provided with any
convenient level indicator.
For weighing, the outlet valve of the water vessel may be connected by a cord
to a bell crank lever centered on the main lever so that a projection may ride on a
cam surface on the top of the pillar and enter a .notch whenever the main lever
becomes horizontal and allow the outlet valve to close.
Dated this Ninth day of August 1895.
EDMUND HUNT,
Applicant's Agent.
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Apparatus for Testing or Ascertaining the
Strength of Yarn, Thread, Wire, and the like, and for
Weighing.
I, CHARLES HILL, of Saint James Road Works, Forfar, in the County of
Forfar, North Britain, Cashier, 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, that is to say :-
My said invention has for its object the application of improved apparatus for
testing or ascertaining the strength of various materials of a thread-like or wire-
like character, and for weighing; the results being obtained and indicated in the
improved apparatus automatically and without the manual adjustment of weights.
An important part of the apparatus is a vessel for containing water or other
suitable liquid and provided with a valved outlet at its bottom. The vessel is
suspended from one arm of a lever the other arm of which is counterweighted, or
has the article to be weighted suspended from it. When about to make a test with
the apparatus, the vessel is supplied with an excess of liquid, that is with more
than what will balance the article to be weighed, or will balance so much of the
counterweight as will make its effect less than the estimated strength of the yarn
or other material to be tested. Then, automatically or otherwise, the outlet valve
of the vessel is opened, and the liquid runs out; but the outlet valve is automatically
closed instantly on the quantity of liquid becoming diminished sufficiently for the
purpose in view.
The details of the apparatus are susceptible of variation to suit different
circumstances and requirements, but in order that my said invention and the manner
of performing the same may be properly understood I hereunto append a sheet of
explanatory drawings to be hereinafter referred to and showing by way of example
a modification of the apparatus suitable for testing yarn.
Figures, 1, and 2, on the accompanying sheet of drawings are respectively, a
plan and a side elevation of apparatus suitable for testing yarn,
Figure, 3, is a view of a detail hereinafter referred to.
In these drawings the same reference letters are used to mark the same or like
parts wherever they are repeated.
In the yarn-tester a pillar, A, fixed on a base, B, supports at its upper end on
knife edges a lever, C, extending in opposite directions from the fulcrum.

page_text: A weight, D, is suspended from one arm of the lever, C, and this arm can move-
up and down between stops, E, F, on a guide, R, carried on a bracket, S, on the
pillar, A. A glass vessel, G, for liquid is suspended from the other arm of the-
lever, C, the end of which is forked and the place for the attachment of the yarn, H,
is between the vessel and the pillar, A. For securing the lower end of the
yarn, H, to be tested there is fitted on a bracket, J, on the pillar, A, a small
barrel, K, having a ratchet wheel, L, (shown by dotted lines in Figure, 2) fixed
to it, a spring pawl, M, on the bracket, J, engaging with the ratchet wheel.
A spring tongue on the barrel, K, serves for holding the end of the yarn, H.
For holding the upper end of the yarn there is provided a small upper barrel, N,.
(Figure, 3) having a spring tongue, P, and capable of turning on a pin, Q, fixed
in the side of the lever, C. A number of yarn ends are usually wound upon the
top barrel, N, and one at a time is attached to the lower barrel, K, for being
tested. In the position of the parts at the commencement of a test, and when a
yarn, H, has been wound just tight upon the lower barrel, K, the length of yarn
subjected to strain may be the usual 36 inches; or the apparatus may be arranged
for any other convenient length. The top barrel, N, has a pin, T, (or pins).
projecting from it in a position to act on a pair of small levers, U, V, centered on
the pin, Q, fixed in the side of the main lever, C, and these small levers have
adjustably connected to them cords, W, X, one, W, of which is led over a guide
pulley, Y, and descends thence through the axis of the vessel, G, to an outlet
valve, Z, at the bottom. The other cord, X, is attached to a spring catch, O,.
which acts on ratchet teeth formed on the guide, R. The outlet valve, Z, is
weighted (or it might be acted on by a spring) so as to tend to keep it shut; but
when a yarn end, H, on being wound upon the lower barrel, K, becomes tight, it
turns the upper barrel, N, the pin, T, of which acting through the described
connections causes the opening of the valve, Z, and the withdrawal of the spring
catch, O, from the ratchet. As the liquid runs out of the vessel, G, the effect of
the counterweight, D, gradually increases until the yarn, H, breaks whereupon the
outlet valve, Z, being no longer kept open by the tension of the yarn, is instantly
shut by its weight (or spring). The position of the level of the liquid remaining
in the vessel, G, indicates the strain on the yarn, H, at the moment of breaking;
and a graduated scale, indicating pounds or other convenient weights, may be
affixed to the vessel, as shown, such vessel being made wholly or partly of glass,
or being provided with any convenient level indicator.
It follows from the construction of the apparatus, and is a result affording
important information, that the elongation or extent of stretching of the yarn
prior to breaking is shown. The elongation may be indicated on a suitable scale
marked on the guide bar, R.
For weighing a scale pan, a, indicated by dotted lines may be suspended in
place of the counterweight, D, or the counterweight may be retained and the
scale pan be suspended from a point between the fulcrum and the vessel, G. The
outlet valve, Z, of the water vessel, G, may be connected by the cord, W, to a
bell crank lever, b, centered on the main lever, C, so that a projection may ride on
the surface of a cam, c, on the top of the pillar and enter a notch whenever the
main lever becomes horizontal and allow the outlet valve, Z, to close.
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 and arrangement of parts constituting my improved
apparatus for testing, or ascertaining the strength of yarn, thread, wire, and the
like, and for weighing, substantially as herein before described.
2. In apparatus for testing, or ascertaining the strength of yarn, thread, wire,
and the like, and for weighing, a vessel containing liquid having an outlet valve
at its bottom and suspended from one arm of a lever the other arm of which is
counterweighted, or has the article to be weighed suspended from it, the outlet

page_text: valve being opened automatically or otherwise, and closed automatically instantly
on the quantity of liquid becoming diminished sufficiently for the purpose in view,
substantially as herein before described.
Dated L:
1000
EDMUND HUNT,
Applicant's Agent.