IMPROVEMENTS IN SELF-ACTING MULES USED IN SPINNING COTTON AND OTHER FIBRES
Year: 1877

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Joseph Mills, of Broadbottom, Mottram, in the County of
Choster, Manager, in the employment of Messieurs John Hirst and Sons, of the
said Broadbottom, for the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN SELF-ACTING MULES
USED IN SPINNING COTTON AND OTHER FIBRES."
Sealed the 8th March 1878, and dated the 10th December 1877.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Joseph Mills at the Office
of the Commissioners of Patents on the 10th December 1877.
JOSEPH MILLS, of Broadbottom, Mottram, in the County of Chester, Manager,
in the employment of Messieurs John Hirst and Sons, of the said Broadbottom.
"IMPROVEMENTS IN SELF-ACTING MULES USED IN SPINNING COTTON AND OTHER
FIBRES."
The object of the Invention is to obtain increased delicacy with celerity in the
"backing off" and "putting up" motions of self-acting mules. For this purpose
the axle of the "snail pulley "is by means of a chain or band connected to the
surface of a pulley supported to turn on a pivot, and to which pulley is connected
another pulley of smaller or other diameter, and to the periphery of this other pulley
is connected one end of a chain or band, the other end of which is connected to one
end of a spiral or other suitable spring, the other end or part of which is held with
capability of adjustment to vary the amount of tension or force exerted by it. By
these means the chain or band operated by the snail pulley is kept in tension so as
to be at all times ready for immediate action in the motions of the apparatus.
The benefits derived from this motion consist in the easy manner in which the
faller is brought down upon the yarn, and then the gradual following of the yarn
to the tip or nose of the cop, thus requiring less power, and preventing soft and
hatched noses, these being generally caused by the faller coming down irregularly
and heavily, and also causing bad bottoms in pulling the yarn from the rollers.
Through the motion of the faller, and the gentle locking of the sector, all the evils
afore-mentioned will be entirely prevented.

page_text: SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent filed by
the said Joseph Mills in the Great Seal Patent Office on the 4th June 1878.
JOSEPH MILLS, of Broadbottom, Mottram, in the County of Chester, Manager,
in the employment of Messieurs John Hirst and Sons, of the said Broadbottom.
IMPROVEMENTS IN SELF-ACTING MULES USED IN SPINNING COTTON AND OTHER
FIBRES."
at
"
The object of the Invention is to obtain increased delicacy with celerity in the
backing off" and "putting up" motions of self-acting mules. For this purpose
the axle of the "snail pulley" is by means of a chain or band connected to the
surface of a pulley supported to turn on a pivot, and to which pulley is connected
another pulley of smaller or other diameter, and to the periphery of this other pulley
is connected one end of a chain or band, the other end of which is connected to one
end of a spiral or other suitable spring, the other end or part of which is held with
capability of adjustment to vary the amount of tension or force exerted by it. By
these incans the chain or band operated by the snail pulley is kept in tension so as
to be at all times ready for immediate action in the motions of the apparatus.
The benefits derived from this motion consist in the easy manner in which the
faller is brought down upon the yarn, and then the gradual following of the yarn to
the tip or nose of the cop, thus requiring less power, and preventing soft and hatched
noses, these being generally caused by the faller coming down irregularly and
heavily, and also causing bad bottoms in pulling the yarn from the rollers. Through
the motion of the faller, and the gentle locking of the sector, all the evils afore-
mentioned will be entirely prevented.
But that the Invention may be more fully understood I will by the aid of the
accompanying Drawings proceed to describe in detail means employed by me in
Ang th
into affant
Figure 1 represents a side elevation; Figure 2, a front elevation; and Figure 3,
a plan of parts of an ordinary self-acting mule, with my improvements applied
thereto.
In each of the views the same letters indicate corresponding parts.
a shews the headstock framing; b, the faller shaft; b, a faller finger fixed on
the faller shaft b; b' shews a faller sickle, which supports and guides the faller
wire b³ in the winding and backing off motions; c is a small chain pulley which is
supported to turn on the stud c¹ carried by the faller finger bl; d is one portion of
the backing-off chain, one end of which is fast to the smaller portion d' of the
double pulley (d, d'); the other end of this chain d, after passing over the small
chain pulley c, is made fast to the end d³ of the monkey tail lever d'; e represents
the shaft of the tin roller, and on this shaft the backing-off snail plate f¹ is sup-
ported, yet so as to be loose thereon; fis the other portion of the backing-off chain,
one end of which is fast to the snail or scroll f¹, the other end of this chain ƒ being
fastened to the larger diameter d' of the double pulley (d', d'); g shews the backing-
off click (or ratchet) wheel (Figures 1, 3, 5, and 6), which is keyed to the shaft e of
the tin roller; this click or ratchet wheel turns the snail plate in the direction of
the arrow when the backing-off takes place by acting on the click g¹ (Figures 1 and
3) carried by the snail plate; h is another chain fastened at one end of it to the
part of the snail plate f₁, and at the other end of it to the pulley &, which is
supported to turn on the stud j carried by the square framing k. To another pulley
h¹, formed on or fixed to the pulley i, is fastened one end of the chain, the other
end of which is fastened to one end of a spiral spring ; the other end of this spring
is connected to the adjusting screw n, which passes through a fixing m from the
square frame k, and is provided with an adjustable thumb nut n'. By the tension

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of the spring I am enabled to keep the backing-off chains & and ƒ tight when the
backing-off" commences.
The form of the snail or scroll f' is such that when the "backing-off" commences
the faller wire b is brought down to the yarn at the top of the "spindle," and
follows it at the rate at which it is unwound from such "spindle" until the faller
is "locked" in the usual manner.
Figures 4, 5, and 6 represent slight modifications of the above for producing
tension on the backing-off chain. In the square frame k (Figures 4 and 5) I apply
a stud o, on which is supported a weighted lever p. To the upper end p¹ of this
lever p I attach one end of the chain h, the other end being fastened to a boss q loose
on the tin roller shaft e; this loose boss is formed with a projection g' adapted to
act on a corresponding projection f* from the boss of the snail plate f', already
described. This may be further modified, as in Figure 6, where the loose boss is
formed with a projecting weighted arm r, and which weight may be fixed or
adjustable. By these arrangements the weighted levers will give tension to the
backing-off chain equivalent to that of the spiral spring.
When a weight is used, as in Figures 4 and 6, the bell-crank weight lever pis
not required.
Having thus described the nature of my said Invention, and means which I have
found to answer in carrying the same into effect, I would have it understood that
I do not limit myself to the details given, as they may be varied without departing
from the peculiar character of the Invention, but what I do claim as my improve-
ments in self-acting mules used in spinning cotton and other fibres is, the adaptation
or combination of means operating in the "backing-off" and "putting-up" motions,
whereby I am enabled to obtain tension to the "backing-off" chain immediately
before the "backing-off" commences by the use of a scroll or anail formed so that
the faller wire is brought down to the yarn at the top of the "spindle," and follows
it at the rate at which it is unwound from the "spindle," aided by the double pulley
and spring pressure or its equivalent, substantially as described.
In witness whereof, I, the said Joseph Mills, have hereunto set my hand
and seal, this Twenty-ninth day of May, in the year of our Lord One thousand
eight hundred and seventy-eight.
TANDT TTA