IM- PROVEMENTS IN CERTAIN PARTS OF THE MACHINERY FOR ROVING, SPINNING, AND DOUBLING WOOL, COTTON, SILK, FLAX, AND ALL OTHER FIBROUS SUBSTANCES
Year: 1823

page_text: TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, THOMAS
LEACH, of Friday Street, in the City of London, Merchant, send greeting.
WHEREAS His most Excellent Majesty King George the Fourth, by His
Letters Patent, sealed with the Great Seal of Great Britain, bearing date
at Westminster, the Eighteenth day of August, in the fourth year of
His reign, and in the year of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and
twenty-three did, for Himself, His heirs and successors, give and grant unto
me, the said Thomas Leach, His especial licence and sole privilege that I,
the said Thomas Leach, my exors, adññiors, or assigns, or such others as I, the
said Thomas Leach, 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, in that part of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland
called England, the Principality of Wales, and Town of Berwick-upon-Tweed,
and His Majesty's Plantations and Colonies abroad, my Invention of "IM-
PROVEMENTS IN CERTAIN PARTS OF THE MACHINERY FOR ROVING, SPINNING, AND
DOUBLING WOOL, COTTON, SILK, FLAX, AND ALL OTHER FIBROUS SUBSTANCES;" in
which said Letters Patent there is contained a proviso obliging me, the said
Thomas Leach, by an instrument in writing under my hand and seal, parti-
cularly to describe and ascertain the nature of my said Invention, and in
what manner the same is to be performed, and to cause the same to be
enrolled in His Majesty's High Court of Chancery, within that part of the

page_text: United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland called England, within six
calendar months next and immediately after the date of the said 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
Thomas Leach, do hereby declare that the nature, construction, and appli-
cation of my aforesaid improvements are herein-after particularly set forth and
described (that is to say):
My aforesaid Invention of improvement applies particularly to all mills or
machines for roving or spinning cotton, flax, hemp, silk, or other fibrous sub-
stances, and its principal aim and object is to regulate the draught of the
bobbin, or its relative speed or velocity with respect to that of the spindle, by
which regulation the bobbin is made to wind or take up a greater or less
quantity of the material to be spun in a given time.
It is well known to those concerned in roving or spinning that the even-
ness, fineness, quantity of twist, and perfection of the roving yard or thread
produced in spinning depends in a great measure on the nicety and perfection
of this aforesaid regulation of the draft, and I produce it by the application of
an adjustable line or cord, and the following arrangement will shew the modes
which I prefer for applying the same.
Fig. 1 of the annexed Drawing shews a spindle and bobbin, to which one of
my improved regulations is applied. The spindle and bobbin are such as have
been heretofore employed in horizontal mill spinning; (that is to say) the
whorl or pulley of the spindle is at the same end of it as the flyers, as shewn
at E. The bobbin F is likewise similar to those generally used, and fits
lightly on the spindle. It must have a grove formed on one of its ends to
make it like a whorl or pulley, as shewn in profile at C, which particulars I
name as being necessary to shew how my aforesaid improvements are to be
applied; but I declare that the same constitute no part of my said Invention.
The apparatus for regulating the draft of the bobbin, or retarding its speed
with respect to the spindle, in which my improvement consists, and which I
claim to be protected under my aforesaid herein-before in part recited Patent,
is constructed and used as follows.
Fig. 1 shows it in profile or side view, and Fig. 2 is a front view of the
same, or the appearance a bobbin would have if viewed from that side of the
frame which the spinner always attends; and the same letters of reference
denote the same parts in both the said Figures. A is a small standard or arm
of iron, or other convenient material, the lower end of which is attached by a
screw G to the ordinary traverse or copping rail B of the frame, and which,

page_text: being constructed and moved in the usual manner for producing the traverse
of the bobbin, is well understood, and need not be described. One of these
standards, A, is placed against the side of the groove C in each bobbin of the
frame, in the manner shewn in Figure 2. The height of the tops of the stan-
dards is generally used even with the centre line of the spindles; but it may
be otherwise, and by means of the screw G the standard may be fixed at any
required distance from the bobbin. To the top of each standard a fine line or
cord formed of cotton, linen, catgut, silk, or other suitable material, is attached,
and is passed over the groove C in its adjacent bobbin, as at D, when it hangs
down, and is stretched or tightened by a weight H hooked, tied, or otherwise
attached to its opposite extremity. It is the friction produced by this line and
weight that produces the necessary retardation and regulation before spoken
upon, and consequently a great deal of the perfection of my Invention must
depend upon the due proportion of the weight and thickness of the cord used,
which it is impossible particularly to define, because it must be altered or
varied according to the fineness and quantity of twist which is necessary in the
roving, yarn, or thread to be produced, and will also vary with the diameter of
the whorl or groove C formed on the bobbin, but which may easily be ascer-
tained by trial and experience. In order, however, to regulate the quantity of
friction to be produced by the line and weight without the necessity of
changing the same, or either of them, in every case I apply a number of small
hooks, notches, pins, or any other similar contrivance E, E, E, in Figure 2, which
are ranged or placed at convenient distances asunder along the front of each
standard, and into any of which the line can be placed at pleasure, as shewn by
the dotted lines near E, E, in Fig. 2, and by means of which the line may be
made to encompass or embrace a larger or smaller part of the circumference
of the groove C on the bobbin, and by which the friction will be very consi-
derably increased without encreasing the weight H. From the above expla-
nation it will be evident that any lateral motion given to the copping rail B,
Fig. 1, will be communicated through the standard A and its line D to the
bobbin, and in this way is its traverse produced.
Fig. III. represents another method which I have invented for producing
the retardation and adjustment, upon more bobbins than one, by the action of
one weight and cord only, on the same principles as that just described. In
this arrangement the same spindles and bobbins are used as aforesaid; and as
the Figure represents a front view of the machine, C, C, C, C, will shew the
ends of four bobbins, having the grooves, as aforesaid, formed upon them.
B, B, is the copping rail, as aforesaid, and upon this I fix or erect the metal
standards G, G, G, one between each two bobbins. At the top of each stan-

page_text: dard I fix a small pulley in the direction of the copping rail, as shewn at
H, H, H; and underneath the copping rail, but in the same plane, I fix
another pulley I upon the metal cock or arm M. An endless line K, K, K, K,
made as aforesaid, of cotton, linen, catgut, silk, or other suitable material, is
then placed so that it may pass over the three small pullies marked H,
under the grooves of the four bobbins marked C, and under the pulley I, as
clearly shewn in the Figure. This line may be stretched or tightened in any
required degree by raising or lowering the pulley I, by means of the long
hole L, M, and tightening screw in the cock or support upon which that
pulley works. The pulley I has two grooves formed in it, one to receive
the aforesaid line or cord K, K, and the other to take another line or cord
N, N, formed as aforesaid. The upper end of the line or cord N, N, is
attached to the projecting cock or support O, which is screwed to the copping
rail, and its lower end carries a weight, as before described in referring to the
former Figures, by which the necessary retardation and adjustment of the
bobbins are effected, because the bobbins C, in revolving, will give motion to
the line or cord K, and this will communicate motion to I; but if I is
retarded in its motion by the cord and weight N, N, of course that retardation
will be communicated to all the bobbins with which the line K may be in
The cock O may contain several hooks, notches, pins, or other
similar contrivances, as shewn in the Figure, for holding the line N, N, so as
to cause it to embrace more or less of the circumference of the pulley I; and
the diameter of this pulley, as well as the thickness of the line N, N, and the
amount of the weight appended to it, must be found by experience, as they
will vary, not only with the quality of the material to be roved or spun, and
the work to be produced, but likewise with the number and dimensions of the
bobbins with which the endless line or cord K, K, K, may be in contact;
for although the pulley I is shewn in the Figure as governing four bobbins
only, yet I do not restrict myself to that number in my Invention,
because it is evident that the same principles of construction will apply to a
less or greater number of bobbins, and I therefore reserve to myself the right
of making one endless cord or line K, K, pass under as many bobbins as
may be convenient, or as the nature of the case may require; and at the
same time of applying one or more retarding pullies I to the same endless
line, should such application appear necessary. I recommend that the frame
or head containing the spindles should be formed of cast iron or other metal,
instead of wood, as heretofore, and I perform the operation of doffing the
bobbin by means of a kind of door formed in the front part of the frame of
the machine, or that side which is next to the spinner. These doors turn
contact.

page_text: on hinges, and are made to close by any convenient application of a spring,
as shewn in plan at P, P, Q, Fig. 4, where P, P, is part of. the frame, and
Q the door that opens. This door, when closed, forms the bearing for the small
end of the spindle R to run in, and this arrangement I consider as part of my
aforesaid Invention. Another construction or application of a line as aforesaid,
for regulating the bobbin in such frames as work with horizontal spindles,
is shewn at Fig. 5. In effect it is the same as my contrivance shewn and
described by the former Figures, but the tension of the line for producing the
regulation is brought about by a lever instead of a weight. A bar of metals, s,
is placed at about two inches, or any convenient height, over the horizontal
range of bobbin and spindles, and is supported at proper intervals to secure
its firmness by metal or other standards or supports, screwed or otherwise
fixed at their lower extremities to the front or the top of the traverse
rail B, B. One of these standards is shewn at T, and they may be repeated
between each bobbin and spindle, or only as often as may be found sufficient
to keep the top bar s, s, firmly and steadily in its horizontal position. On the
front of the copping or traverse rail, and directly under the centre of each
spindle, I fix or place a small pulley W, in such manner that it may turn
freely on its centre. To the front of the top bar s, s, I likewise apply and
fix a small metal hook or slip eye, such as is seen at V, for the purpose of
holding one end of the line or cord m, m, m, m, of cotton, linen, catgut, silk,
or other suitable material as aforesaid, which is to operate on the bobbin to
produce the regulation of its draft. This line is fixed or released from the
said hook or slip-eye at pleasure by a mere knot, and the hook or slip-eye is
so placed on the top bar, that a line passing downwards to the groove of the
pulley W, will be a little bent out of its straight direction by contact with
the groove or whorl C of the bobbin into which it passes. The regulating
line, after passing under the pulley W as aforesaid, ascends again in like
manner so as to be again bent out of its straight direction by contact with
the opposite side of the groove of the bobbin C, and its other end is attached
to the short arm of a bent lever X, Y, Z, such attachment being made by a
hook or slip-eye and knot, or other mode of fixing as aforesaid. The bent
lever, which is formed of iron, brass, or other suitable material, turns on a
fixed pivot or centre Y, which is fixed upon the top bar s, s, and the longer
arm of the lever Y, Z, is of sufficient length to hang down as far or a. little
below the front of the copping or traverse rail, upon which is fixed or formed
a metal plate having a number of notches, or pins, or other contrivance, as
at 1, 2, 3, 4, &c., to receive and hold the lower end Z of such lever. The
long arm Y, Z, of this lever may be slight and of a springy nature, and so

page_text: fixed on its pivot Y as to spring into the notches, pins, or other contrivance,
12, 3, &c., consequently it will be unable to get out of any notch in which
it may happen to be placed, until it is lifted and removed from the same by
the hand. The operation of this contrivance is self-evident, for when the
lower end of the lever Z is thrown or lifted out of all the notches, or to-
wards 5, there will be no tension on the regulating cord m, m, m, m, and, con-
sequently, the bobbin will not be affected by it; but when the end of the lever Z
is placed in the first notch 4, it should just begin to tighten the line or
cord m, m, and will. therefore cause it to bear very gently against the two
sides of the groove C in the bobbin, and, consequently, it will produce a very
slight retardation of its motion. This however may be increased at pleasure, by
moving the end of the lever into other notches nearer to 1 or 2; and should
this be insufficient, the line or cord itself may be shortened by tyeing a new
knot on one of its ends; by crossing such line either above or below the bobbin,
if so as to cause it to embrace a larger proportion of the circumference C of
the groove or the bobbin, or even by causing one end of the line to wrap
completely round such groove, it will be evident that every degree of regu-
lation, from nothing to that which would have the effect of stopping the
bobbin, may be produced. The traverse of the bobbin on the spindle will of
course proceed as usual, because the whole of the herein-before described
apparatus is built upon or fixed to the traverse rail B, B, and will of course
communicate its motion to the bobbins by the several lines or cords m, m, m, m.
Fig. 6 shews the application of the last above-described part of my said
Invention to the purposes of vertical or upright spindles and bobbins in mills
or machines, where the same are made use of. This application differs only
from that last described in the position and manner of fixing the several
parts together. In this application the common or ordinary spindle and flyers
are used, in which and the spindles pass through the copping rail or bar, upon
the upper surface of which the bottoms of the bobbins are supported as usual.
I apply my aforesaid contrivance upon the upper surface of the ordinary cop-
ping rail or bar, for which purpose it should be made sufficiently wide.
a, a, Fig. 6, is a plan or view from above of a part of such a copping bar or
rail, and Fig. 7, a perspective view of the same. 6, in Fig. 6, is an horizontal
section of a bobbin, and c, the spindle passing through its centre. V is the
hook, slip-eye, or other contrivance for holding one end of the regulating
line or cord m, m, aforesaid, which passes round the pulley W, fixed so as to
turn horizontally on its centre pivot in front of the spindle upon the said
copping rail, and X, Y, Z, is the bent lever lying horizontally upon such rail.
In this form of application it takes the other end of the regulating line or

page_text: cord, which is fixed as aforesaid at X, while Y is the fixed pivot upon which
the lever turns, and Z, its long end, which drops into the notches or stops
1, 2, 3, 4, &c., as aforesaid. The adjusting line or cord is likewise to be used
and applied to the bobbin in the manner described as applied to horizontal
spinning. In both these applications bobbins with whorls or grooves like C
are adverted to, but I do not claim bobbins so formed as any part of my
Invention. In the latter application the groove is to be preferred, but is not
essential, provided a sufficient portion of the lower part of the bobbin is left
cylindrical and without a groove, as this will admit the pressure and regulation
of the adjusting line or cord. The letters in Fig. 7 refer to the same parts as
those shewn in Fig. 6.
In the above Specification I have described those modes of applying a line
or cord for regulating the draft of bobbins in spinning in such manner as I
have used the same, and as I conceive they are most effective; but as the
principle of my Invention consists in the application of an adjustable line or
cord to this purpose, and the same may be applied in other modes than those
herein-before described, I claim and reserve to myself, as parts of my afore-
said Invention, every application of an adjustable line or cord 'made to act by
weights, levers, springs, screws, or other means to produce the purposes
aforesaid.
In witness whereof, I, the said Thomas Leach, have hereunto set my
hand and seal, this Eighteenth day of February, in the year of our
Lord One thousand eight hundred and twenty-four.
THOMAS (L.s.) LEACH.
AND BE IT REMEMBERED, that on the Eighteenth day of February,