AN IMPROVED THROSTLE FLYER, OR A SUBSTI- TUTE FOR AN ORDINARY FLYER EMPLOYED IN SPINNING COTTON, FLAX, HEMP, WOOL, SILK, AND OTHER FIBROUS SUBSTANCES
Year: 1835

page_text: TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, JAMES
KEAN, of Johnston, in the County of Renfrew, in the Kingdom of Scotland,
Machine Maker and Engineer, send greeting.
WHEREAS His present most Excellent Majesty King William the
Fourth, by His Letters Patent under the Great Seal of Great Britain,
bearing date at Westminster, the Third day of July, in the sixth year of
His reign, did, for Himself, His heirs and successors, give and grant unto
me, the said James Kean, His especial licence, full power, sole privilege
and authority, that I, the said James Kean, my exors, adiñors, and assigns,
or such others as I, the said James Kean, my exors, admors, or assigns, should
at any time agree with, and no others, from time to time and at all times
during the term of years therein expressed, should and lawfully might make,
use, exercise, and vend, within England, Wales, and the Town of Berwick-
upon-Tweed, my Invention of "AN IMPROVED THROSTLE FLYER, OR A SUBSTI-
TUTE FOR AN ORDINARY FLYER EMPLOYED IN SPINNING COTTON, FLAX, HEMP, WOOL,
SILK, AND OTHER FIBROUS SUBSTANCES;" in which said Letters Patent is
contained a proviso that I, the said James Kean, shall cause a a particular
description of the nature of my said Invention, and in what manner the

page_text: same is to be performed, to be inrolled in His said Majesty's High Court
of Chancery within six calendar months next and immediately after the date
of the said in part recited Letters Patent, as in and by the same, reference
being thereunto had, will more fully and at large appear.
NOW KNOW YE, that in compliance with the said proviso, I, the said
James Kean, do hereby declare that the nature and the description which I
subjoin of my aforesaid Invention will be best understood by the following
statement of the objects obtained or sought to be obtained thereby :-
First, the effecting of a great saving in the motive power employed in
throstle spinning, or enabling a higher velocity of revolution to be attained by
a given power, or (which is equivalent) the performing by the same power a
greater quantity of work than is practicable by the flyers in general use.
Second, the affording a great facility in taking off the bobbins (contained
within the said flyers) when they are full, or to piece or join the thread or
yarn when broken, without disconnecting the flyer from the spindle, and
thereby saving much time.
Third, the ready application of my new flyer to the common spinning
machine now in use.
It is well known that a considerable portion of the resistance in spinning
arises from the pressure of the atmosphere, which, interposing itself between
the wires or arms of the ordinary flyers, causes a greater demand of the
impelling force to attain and preserve them at their required velocity of
motion than would be the case were the air excluded from their orbit or
path of revolution. To effect this object, I construct my improved throstle
flyer of the form of a hollow cylinder, the continuity of which figure fills up,
as it were, the path of revolution, and thus excluding the air therefrom,
obviates its retarding influence in a very great degree. The bottom of the
cylinder is closed, and through its centre the spindle passes which carries
the bobbin, the bobbin being removeable at pleasure from above, by leaving
the top of the cylinder open for that purpose.
Having thus briefly stated the nature and objects of my Invention, I proceed
to explain more exactly its construction and mode of application in spinning
machines with both fixed and revolving spindles, reference being had to the
accompanying Drawings, and the figures and letters marked thereon.
Figures 1 and 2 represent my Invention applied to the fixed spindle of a
spinning machine, whereof Figure 1 is an external elevation, and Figure 2 a
vertical section, the same letters in each Figure, where they occur, having
reference to the same parts. a represents a spindle fixed to the traverse

page_text: rail 6 of the machine frame, and passing through a cylindrical metal socket c,
fixed to or forming part of my improved throstle flyer d, to the bottom of
which is fixed a wharve or pulley e, actuated by a cord or band f, that com-
municates with the engine or other prime mover. 9 and are stationary
rails of the machine, and are employed to support and steady the action of the
spindle and flyer, as will be perceived in the section, the upper part of the
socket c passing through the rail g for a bearing, and the lower extremity
turning in a step formed in the rail h. The bobbin i runs loose on the
stationary spindle, and rests upon.a ruff or flanged collar k, between which and
the bobbin is placed a washer of cloth or leather l, for producing the requisite
resistance to the motion of the bobbin, and that degree of tension of the thread
or yarn as will enable it to be properly taken up and laid upon the bobbin.
For the more perfect regulation of the strain upon the thread or yarn, and
conducting it to the bobbin, I fix one, two, three, four, or more eyes or hooks
The pirn or cop
to my cylindrical flyer, two of which are shewn at m, m.
upon the bobbin is formed in the usual manner, by the alternate rising and
falling of the traverse rail and spindle, which causes the bobbin to ascend
and descend within the cylindrical flyer while it winds on the thread
or yarn.
Figure 3 represents in section the mode of applying my Invention to
spinning machines having revolving spindles. o, o, is the spindle which passes
through a hollow cylindrical stud or collar p, which is made fast to a station-
ary rail. q, by means of a ruff or flange r at top, and a screwed nuts at
tubular stem t, t, the
bottom. To this collar is also connected as one piece
upper extremity of which enters the bottom of the cylindrical flyer, and is there
formed internally into a bearing of about three quarters of an inch in length, to
limit to this extent the friction of the spindle against it, as shewn by the
Drawing, whereby it will also be obvious that the socket c of the cylindrical
flyer d (constructed the same as in the former case) is made to revolve around
it, while the ruff or flange r serves for a step for the end of the socket to turn
upon. The bobbin is in this case made fast to the spindle, and the other
subordinate contrivances may be the same as in common throstle spinning.
It remains to be stated, that my improved throstle flyers may be made of any
material that will combine in their structure the requisite degree of stiffness,
smoothness of surface, and lightness for such purposes, but that I give the
preference to the employment of thin sheet brass, copper, iron, or tinned
plates, as these possess the before-mentioned properties in an eminent degree;
and that although I give the preference to the true cylindrical figure for my
flyers, I deem the hollow frustrum of a cone, or of a spheroid, or the sectio.

page_text: of any other hollow figure that presents a circular continuity of surface, in
imitation, of my flyer, to be equally included in my Patent herein specified.
In witness whereof, I, the said James Kean, havo hereunto set my
hand and seal, this Twenty-sixth day of December, in the year of our
Lord One thousand eight hundred and thirty-five.
This is the Specification referred to in the annexed Affidavit of Luke
Hebert, sworn before me, this 2nd day of January, 1836. Before me,
HENRY MARTIN.
Luke Hebert, of Highgate, in the County of Middlesex, Gentleman, maketh
oath and saith, that he is acquainted with the manner and character of the
handwriting of Robert Montgomery, Esquire, a Justice of the Peace, residing at
Johnstone, in the County of Renfrew, within that part of the United Kingdom
of Great Britain and Ireland called Scotland. And this Deponent further saith,
that the name or signature "Rob Montgomery," with the addition "J.P." sct,
subscribed, and written upon or indorsed in the margin of the Specification
marked A, hereunto annexed, and dated the Twenty-sixth day of December
now last past, and executed by James Kean, of Johnstone aforesaid, Machinist
and Engineer, whereby it is stated that the said Specification was acknowledged
by the said James Kean before the said Robert Montgomery, on the said
Twenty-sixth day of December, at Johnstone aforesaid, are of the proper
respective handswriting of the said Robert Montgomery and James Kean;
and that the said Robert Montgomery, at the time of setting and subscribing
his name on the said Specification in manner above stated, was and now is one
of the Justices of the Pence acting in and for that part of the United Kingdom
of Great Britain and Ireland called Scotland.
LUKE HEDERT.

page_text: AND BE IT REMEMBERED, that on the Oath of Luke Hebert, the
Specification aforesaid was inrolled word for word as above written. And
the Specification aforesaid was stamped according to the tenor of the Statute
made for that purpose.