IMPROVEMENTS IN APPARATUS EMPLOYED IN MULES FOR SPINNING
Year: 1885

page_text: We, WILLIAM HEATON of Lostock Mill, Cotton Spinner, and JOHN CATTERALL of
30 Heaton's Road, Overlooker, both of Lostock Junction near Bolton in the County
of Lancaster, do hereby declare the nature of our Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS
IN APPARATUS EMPLOYED IN MULES FOR SPINNING," to be as follows:-
This invention relates to improvements in machinery well known as self-actor
mules for spinning cotton and other fibrous materials and has for its object the
prevention of waste and snarls, with the result of even winding and a better
quality of yarn than hitherto, which is accomplished by improving the action of
what is known as the "nosing peg" being automatically regulated to cause the
yarn to be wound tight on the spindle when the mule carriage is almost up, by
which better noses on the cops are produced. To the quadrant arm is attached in
any convenient way suitable mounted levers which operate on a pivotted lever and
catch disposed on a fixing & works a ratchet wheel, which by a range of wheels
mounted on the said fixing couples into a spur wheel on the quadrant shaft or
centre, and regulates the position of the winding chain on the differential screw on
the quadrant arm. As the cop increases in diameter the winding chain is moved
up the quadrant arm, which position is determined by a catch mounted on a lever
attached to the faller rod coming in contact or otherwise with a stop or other
equivalent on the faller rod. To the side of the headstock is secured a fixing
provided with a pin on which slides a rod extending to and pivotted to a lever
mounted on the roller beam. On this sliding rod is disposed a lever which
operates on a lever mounted on the top end of the quadrant arm, which is
connected by a rod or other equivalents to a lever on the bottom end of the
quadrant, and as the mule carriage commences to run out the latter lever operates
on the aforesaid ratchet lever by which the winding chain is still further moved,
putting the same out of gear when making the reverse motion.
In case it is not necessary to operate the winding chain simultaneously every
draw of the mule carriage, the pivotted lever on the faller rod lever is provided
with a conical or other end which strikes a similer lever attached to the aforesaid
sliding rod and drops a catch into a slot in the latter, and so on until the cop is
completed.

page_text: The positions of the levers mounted on the lower end of the quadrant are
regulated by a screw fixed thereto which is operated every stretch causing the
said levers to operate differentially on the ratchet wheel lever. When the bottom
of the cop is formed the faller lever ceases to operate the sliding rod.
In building the cop on the smaller part of the spindle the faller rises and leaves
the pivotted lever on the stop, when the conical lever strikes the conical lever on
the sliding rod before mentioned by which the latter is liberated and slided,
causing a ratchet motion attached to the swivelling arm and "nosing peg" to be
operated by a catch, when one or more teeth can be operated each draw of the
mule or otherwise as required. To prevent the faller jerking during the operation
of unlocking we employ suitable springs attached to the roller beam or otherwise.
For the purpose of improving the action of the faller lifting motion, by which
the faller winds the ends up the mule spindles we fix on the tin roller shaft a spur
or other wheel working into a sector mounted on a shaft secured to the back of
the mule carriage or otherwise. This sector is coupled by any convenient means
to the locking lever on the faller rods, and to the faller by a chain or other
equivalents which allow the faller to rise as the tin cylinder revolves. On the
latter is mounted a disc or pulley for the purpose of operating a winding catch,
being held against the latter by a spring or other equivalents attached to the
sector or other shaft.

page_text: Improvements in Apparatus Employed in Mules for Spinning..
We; WILLIAM HEATON of Lostock Mill, Cotton Spinner, and JOHN CATTERALL of
30 Heaton's Road; Overlooker, both of Lostock Junction near Bolton in the County
of Lancaster, do hereby declare the nature of our said Invention for "IMPROVE-
MENTS. IN APPARATUS EMPLOYED IN MULES FOR SPINNING," 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 improvements in machinery well known as self-actor
mules for spinning cotton and other fibrous materials and has for its object the
prevention of waste and snarls, with the result of even winding and a better
quality of yarn than hitherto, which is accomplished by improving the action of
what is known as the "nosing peg," being automatically regulated to cause the
yarn to be wound tight on the spindle when the mule carriage is almost up, by
which better noses on the cops are produced.
Fig. 1 of the accompanying drawings is a part side elevation of the headstock of
a self-actor mule with our improvements applied-Fig. 2 is an end elevation and
Fig. 3 a plan of same. Fig. 5 is a section through line A. B, and Fig. 8 is a section
through line C. D in Fig. 1.
In all these figures the same letters and numerals are used to indicate
corresponding parts.
E is the headstock frame; F the quadrant arm; G the mule carriage; H the
roller beam; I the delivery rollers; J the copping faller, and K the under faller.
On the side of the headstock frame E is mounted in the fixings M the sliding
rod L; the outer end being provided with the inclined slot N and mounted on the
pin O¹. On the sliding rod L is disposed the lever M³ which operates the lever 19
mounted on the top end of the quadrant arm F. To the quadrant arm F is
attached the rod P on the lower end of which is fixed the lever 11. On the rod P.
is mounted the lever 12 and sliding bar and pin 10, which, as the quadrant arm F
rises, operates on the pivoted lever 8 and catch or "pawl" 7.
The catch or "pawl" 7. operates the ratchet wheel 6 and the range of wheel
gear 2 to 5 mounted on the fixing U; the wheel 2 drives the spur wheel 1 on the
quadrant shaft or centre 13, which automatically and differentially regulates the
position of the winding chain on the screw in the quadrant arm F. On the under
faller rod K is fixed the lever 16 forming the fulcrum for the catch 15 which
works in connection with the stop 17 on the copping faller J.
When forming the cop bottom and the ends are too tight the point 30 of the
yielding lever 31 strikes the lower end of the toothed stop F¹ mounted. on the
roller beam H as the mule carriage G completes, or nearly so, its inward run, by
which the lever 15 is held clear of the lip 17* on the stop 17 secured to the
copping faller J, as shewn in Fig. 1, thus placing the point 32 below the lip 17*
on the stop 17 secured to the copping faller J.
To prevent the lever 15 falling too far it is provided with the adjustable
screw 33 and chain 34, the latter being attached to the mule carriage G. When the
lever 15 with its conical or taper end 20 is in the position shewn in Fig. 1 and the

page_text: .
carriage G is making an outward run the lever 21 is unaffected, thus leaving the
sliding rod L in the position shewn in Fig. 1, by which the lever 19-shewn in
Figs. 1, 2, and 4-strikes the lever M' as the quadrant arm. rises, moving the
lever 19 sideways which operates the lever 35 and rod P placing the lever 12 in
the position shewn in Figs. 1, 2, and 8, that is, immediately before and in line
with the stop 10.
As the quadrant arm F rises the lever 12 operates the lever 8, moving the
winding chain by means of the intermediate gear. When the mule carriage has
almost completed its inward run and the quadrant arm F has fallen almost to its
lowest point the lever 11 on the rod P strikes the stop 36 and swivels the rod P,
levers 12 and 19, the lever 12 assuming. the position shewn in dotted lines in
Fig. 8.
i
When the lever M² and rod L are in such a position as to allow the lever 19 to
pass without being operated the pin 10 moves the lever 8 in a less degree to that
of the lever 12 owing to its distance out of centre, consequently the winding chain
is operated differentially up the quadrant arm according to the tension of the yarn'
being spun.
When commencing to build the cop the sliding bar and pin 10 and lever 12 are
at the bottom end of the screw 9, and as the cop increases they move upwards
thereby reducing the travel of the lever S and intermediate gearing. by which the
winding chain is operated in proportion to the increasing size of the cop.
When forming the cop bottom and the ends are slack the under faller K rises
and the point 30.strikes the top end of the toothed stop F¹ and holds the point 32
on the lever 15 in the path of the lip 17* on the stop 17 secured to the copping
faller J as shewn in Fig. 7. As the mule carriage G makes the outward run the
conical end 20 strikes the conical ended lever 21 and releases the sliding rod L
from the catch 22 when the rod L slides backwards by the action of the spring 37,
thus placing the lever M2 out of position for operating the lever 19 as the quadrant
arm Frises.
When the sliding rod L has been liberated from the catch. 22 it is re-locked by
the quadrant or lever S on the copping faller.J striking or pushing the rod N?
when the mule carriage G has almost completed its outward run, thus placing the
lever M2 in position for operating the lever 19. The sliding rod L is provided
with the inclined slot N which as it is moved outwardly drops at the outer end
and places the quadrant O so as not to operate the lever 38.
•
When the cop bottom is about half formed the stop 10 ceases to operate the
lever 8, in which case it is then operated entirely by the lever 12-according to the
tension of the yarn on the under faller.
The nosing motion is not required to act until the cop 'bottom is finished, when
the ratchet lever. 38 is operated by the quadrant O..
The ratchet lever and "pawl" 38 operate the ratchet wheel 39 and screwed
spindle 40, and traverses the block 41 carrying the nosing peg Q outwardly, by
which the depression of the winding chain is performed. When the ends are too
slack the under faller rises too high causing the point 30 of the yielding lever 31
to operate against the toothed stop F¹ which holds the under faller and allows the
lip 17 of the stop 17 to come in contact with and to raise the point 32 which
places the conical end 20 in the position shewn in Fig. 7, and as the mule carriage
makes the outward run the conical end 20 strikes the lever 21 and liberates the
sliding rod L which immediately slides by the action of the spring 37 and places
the quadrant O in position to operate the ratchet lever 38 as the quadrant arm F
rises, causing the nosing peg to be moved outwardly to further depress the
winding chain.
3
When the building of the cop bottom is completed the quadrant or lever S on
the copping faller J ceases, by its altered position or motion, to place. the catch 22.
in the notch shewn in Fig. 1 locking it only in the notch 23, at which point the
lever M is. removed from the path of the lever 19, thus stopping, the train or
intermediate gearing operating the winding chain,

page_text: For the purpose of improving the action of the faller lifting motion to prevent
snicks and snarls being formed when winding the yarn up the spindles the tin
roller shaft 25 is provided with the spur wheel or pinion 26 into which works the
sector 42 mounted on the centre 43, the latter being secured to the mule carriage G.
The sector 42 is coupled to the ordinary locking lever G¹ by the rod 44. When
the carriage G is full in the copping faller J is unlocked when the lever G¹ by
means of the rod 44 places the sector 42 in gear with the spur wheel or pinion 26
on the roller shaft 25, thereby allowing the copping faller to rise as the cylinder 28
revolves. The sector 42 is coupled to the copping faller J by the chains 50 and 51;
the chain 50 being connected to the chain pulley 52 from whence the chain 51
passes to the lever 53 mounted on the copping faller J. Previous to the inward
run of the carriage the lever G¹ is locked which causes the sector 42 to be pushed
back to its original position by swivelling on the centre 42*. When the sector 42
is out of gear with the pinion 26 it is held by the spring 54. On the tin cylinder
shaft 25 is mounted the disc or pulley 40 for the purpose of operating the winding
catch 47, being held against the latter by the spring 48 mounted on the sector
shaft 43, thereby ensuring the winding catch 47 being in position when the mule
carriage commences its inward run. Immediately before the inward run of the
mule carriage takes place the sector shaft 43 swivels with the spring 48 which
slightly operates or turns the pulley or disc 46 and releases a pin on the side of
the catch 47 from a slot in the said disc or pulley and allows the catch 47 to fall
into gear with the wheel it operates by which the tin cylinder is driven to wind
the yarn on the spindles during the inward run of the mule carriage. When the
mule carriage has completed its inward run the action of the spring 48 is reversed
by the backward action of the sector shaft 43, causing the pulley 46 to be slightly
turned so as to lift the catch out of gear with the wheel it operates by the afore-
said side pin & slot, after which spinning is performed in the usual manner.
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: -
1. In self-actor mules, the combination and arrangement of mechanism for auto-
matically regulating the position of the winding chain, applied and operating
substantially as and for the purpose specified.
2. In self-actor mules, the combination and arrangement of mechanism for
effecting an even and uniform winding of yarn on the spindies, applied and
operating substantially as described and as shown on the drawings.
EDMUND CHADWICK,
Agent for Applicants.