IMPROVEMENTS IN TWIST- ING FIBROUS MATERIALS, AND IN APPARATUS EMPLOYED THEREIN
Year: 1860

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Michael Henry, of 84, Fleet Street, in the City of
London, Patent Agent, for the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN TWIST-
ING FIBROUS MATERIALS, AND IN APPARATUS EMPLOYED THEREIN." -A com-
munication from abroad by François Durand and Henry Auguste Pradel,
of Paris, France.
Scaled the 24th August 1860, and dated tho 15th March 1860.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Michael Henry at the
Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on the 15th
March 1860.
I, MICHAEL HENRY, of 84, Fleet Street, in the City of London, Patent
Agent, do hereby declare the nature of the said Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS
IN TWISTING FIBROUS MATERIALS, AND IN APPARATUS EMPLOYED THEREIN," com-
municated to me from abroad by François Durand and Henry Auguste
Pradel, of Paris, France, to be as follows:-
This relates to improvements on the Invention communicated by Messieurs
Durand and Pradel, and for which a Patent was granted to me, dated 8th
December 1858, and numbered 2813.
It is now proposed to divide the twisting operation into two parts or stages
first gathering the threads or filaments and imparting thereto a slight pre-
liminary twist in a machine arranged according to my foregoing Patent, and
then removing them to another part of the machine or to a separate one and
imparting to them an additional twist by means of a single revolving bobbin.

page_text: For the latter purpose I take the bobbin supplied with the materials so
"gathered" place it in a convenient position and communicate to it rapid
rotary motion leading the threads or filaments from it on to a reel or drum
placed above it and causing them to deviate or diverge on coming off the bob-
bin by means of a slightly projecting cap, or a flange, disc, ring, or appliance
placed at top thereof, but not passing them through flyers, lead guides, or other
guide pieces revolving with the bobbin as is usual, though a stationary guide
not so revolving may if desired be fitted between the bobbin and the reel or
drum. The thick bobbins produced in the first stage can thus be wound off
into skeins or hanks in the second.
i
In the first stage the threads or filaments may receive a twist of say 40 to
60 turns in a yard; there may be 1000 to 1500 revolutions in the second or
single bobbin apparatus. Some articles such as cottons and twists or braids
may be again gathered and slightly twisted in the first apparatus, and then
subjected to the twisting operation in the single bobbin apparatus.
It is also proposed to construct the machine described in my former Patent
with certain improvements. The vertical spindle, as in that Patent, carries two
discs (the lower supporting the bobbins to be wound off from, and the upper
having orifices and guides through which their threads pass) likewise a fast
and loose pulley, to the former of which motion is transmitted by a driving
band from a drum placed in the longitudinal axis of the machine, the threads
or filaments are guided through the upper disc by fixed and moveable guides
and thence pass between two rollers or equivalent contrivances, and through an
orifice in which they are united on to a roller or drum, and thence through a
guide eye on to a bobbin caused to revolve by frictional contact with the drum,
which action is not interfered with by the increasing diameter of the bobbin,
the latter being capable of upward motion in guide grooves.
I now proceed to describe an arrangement for stopping one of the spindles
without interfering with others mounted in the machinery if a thread should
break. A lever or bar is centered in the framework having a projection on it
kept by a spring or equivalant against a projection on another bar or rod, the
bottom of which has a tail piece bearing against the driving strap, while at top
it is connected to a beam having a weight at one end and a stud or stop at
the other.
If a thread should break, the corresponding moveable guide (on the upper
lisc) ceasing to be held in by it would swing outward (as in my former
Patent) and strike against one end of the lever overcoming the spring and
freeing the projection from the one on the rod so that the weight would be
depressed and the stop at the other end of the beam would rise and enter

page_text: between studs placed on the drum at the upper part of the machine, and so
stop it, while at bottom the "tail piece" would transfer the strap on to the
loose pulley and so stop the spindle. The drum is connected to its shaft by
a sort of key or contrivance kept against it by a screw, causing it to revolve
therewith, but not preventing its being "skidded" as described.
The improvements may be applied to the twisting of threads doubled by.
hand or other means.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent,
filed by the said Michael Henry in the Great Seal Patent Office on
the 15th September 1860.
.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, MICHAEL:
HENRY, of 84, Fleet Street, in the City of London, Patent Agent, send
greeting.
J
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her Letters
Patent, bearing date the Fifteenth day of March, in the year of our Lord
One thousand eight hundred and sixty, in the twenty-third year of Her
reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give and grant unto'
me, the said Michael Henry, Her special licence that I, the said Michael>
Henry, my executors, administrators, and assigns, or such others as I, the
said Michael Henry, my executors, administrators, and assigns; should at any
time agree with, and no others, from time to time and at all times thereafter
during the term therein expressed, should and lawfully might make, use,
exercise, and vend, within the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland,.
the Channel Islands, and Isle of Man, an Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN
TWISTING FIBROUS MATERIALS AND IN APPARATUS EMPLOYED THEREIN," communi-
cated to me from abroad by François Durand and Henry Auguste Pradel,
of Paris, France, upon the condition (amongst others) that I, the said
Michael Henry, my executors or administrators, by an instrument in writing
under my, or their, or one of their hands and seals, should particularly describe
and ascertain the nature of the said Invention, and in what manner the:
same was to be performed, and cause the same to be filed in the Great
Seal Patent Office within six calendar months next, and immediately after
the date of the said Letters Patent..
NOW KNOW YE, that I, the said Michael Henry, do hereby declare the
nature of the said Invention, and in what manner the same is to be per-
formed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and by the following.

page_text: statement thereof, as communicated to me, reference being bad to the
accompanying Drawings, and to the letters and figures marked thereon,
that is to say:-
This Invention relates to improvements; on a certain Invention for which
Letters Patent were obtained by me as a communication from Messieurs
Durand and Pradel, bearing date 8th December 1858, and numbered 2813.
According to the present improvements it is proposed to divide the twisting,
operation into two parts or stages, that is to say, first gathering together or
uniting the threads or materials to be twisted and imparting to them a slight
preliminary twist at one part of a machine arranged as specified under my said
Patent, No. 2813, and this constitutes the first stage of the operation, and
then removing the threads or materials to another part of the same machine
and imparting to them an additional twist by means of a single revolving bobbin,
and this constitutes the second stage of the operation, or this second stage,
instead of being, performed on another part of the same machine as is used for
the first stage, may be performed on a separate machine. For the second stage,
vizt., imparting. the, additional twist, the bobbin supplied with the materials
"gathered" or united in the first stage, is removed to a convenient position in
the same or in a separate machine, and rapid rotary motion is communicated
to the said bobbin and the threads or materials are led or delivered from off it
on to a reel,, roller, or drum placed above it, but they are caused to deviate or
diverge slightly on being so, delivered off by means of a flange projecting cap,
disc, ring, or appliance placed at top of the bobbin, and they, become.twisted,
that is, receive their additional twist at that part which is running between
the bobbin and the point where they reach the drum; the threads are not
passed through flyers, lead guide or other guide pieces revolving with the
bobbin, as is usual, though a stationary guide not so revolving may if desired
be placed between the bobbin and the reel or drum.
And I would here, remark that the main feature of the mode of twisting,
herein described consists in this, that the thread or material to be twisted is
always kept completely, free, and independent of any revolving appendage, such
as flyers or rotary lead guides on the spindle, and although I propose to employ
a guide (between' bobbin' and, drum). occasionally, nevertheless such guide is
stationary and does not partake of the, rotary, motion of the bobbin, whereas,
in ordinary modes of twisting hitherto practised the flyer or guide is carried
round by the thread itself in order that the latter may unwind from the bobbin,
thus preventing the production of very slender thread. Thick bobbins pro-
duced in the first stage can thus be wound, off into skeins or banks in the
second. In the first stage the threads or materials may receive a twist of say

page_text: 40 to 60 turns in a yard, and there may be 1000 to 1500 turns in the second
or single bobbin apparatus. For some articles, such as cottons and twists, the
threads or materials after being once united in the first and twisted in tho
second stage may be again subjected to the first gathering together and pre-
liminary twisting operation in the first apparatus, and then to the second
twisting in the single bobbin apparatus.
It is also proposed to construct the machinery described in the Specification
of my aforesaid Patent No. 2813, of the year 1858, with certain improvements.
The vertical spindle, as in that Patent, carries two discs the lower supporting
the bobbins to be wound off from, and the upper having orifices and guides
through which their threads pass; and the spindle likewise carries a fast and
a loose pulley, to the former of which motion is transmitted by a driving band
from a drum placed in the longitudinal axis of the machine; tho threads or
filaments are guided through the upper disc by fixed and moveable guides, and
thenco pass between two rollers and through an orifice in which they are
united on to a roller or drum, and thence through a guide eye on to a reel or
bobbin caused to revolve by frictional contact with the drum, and the rotary
action thus produced is not, interfered with by the increasing diameter of
the reel or bobbin, as the latter is capable of upward motion in guide grooves.
I now proceed to describe an arrangement similar to the stop arrangement
described in my former Patent, whereby if a thread should happen to break
from any of the bobbins, its spindle, and the corresponding. drum, may be
stopped, without interfering with others mounted in the same machine. A
lever or bar is centered in the framework and has a projection on it kept by
a spring against a projection on another bar or rod terminating at bottom in a
"tail piece" bearing against the driving strap, while at top it is connected to a
beam having a weight at one end and a stud at the other. If a thread should
break the corresponding moveable guide on the upper disc ceasing to be held
in by it, would swing outward as described in my former Patent, and would
strike against one end of the lever overcoming the spring and freeing its pro-
jection from the one, on the rod so that the weight on one end of the beam
would be depressed, and the stop at the other end would rise and insert itself
between studs placed on the drum. at the upper part of the machine, and so
stop it, while at bottom the "tail piece" would transfer the strap on to the
loose. pulley and thus stop the spindle. The drum is connected to its shaft by
a sort of key or contrivance kept against it by a screw and causing it to
revolve with the shaft, but not preventing its being "skidded" as described.
The improvements may be applied, to the twisting of threads doubled by
hand or other means..

page_text: And in order that the Invention may be fully understood I now proceed
more particularly to describe the same, and the method of carrying it into
effect, with reference to the accompanying Drawings.
Figure 1 is an elevation shewing separately a "single bobbin' twisting
apparatus constructed according to these improvements for performing the
second stage of the operation, i.e., the additional or final twisting. A is a bobbin
mounted on a spindle B to which rapid rotary motion is communicated by a
driving pulley C, say 1500, 2000, or 3000 revolutions, and even more per
minute. For cottons, silk threads, twists, shawl wools, and other articles, the
threads or yarns after having been once united and slightly twisted are taken
and receive say 1000 twists on the single bobbin apparatus, Figure 1; and for
twists and cotton threads they are again subjected to the first apparatus for a
repetition of the first stage, say, a twisting of 40 or 60 turns, and then the opera-
tion is completed by a final twisting of from 1000 to 1500 turns per minute on
the single bobbin apparatus, Figure 1. The bobbin A rests at bottom on a seat
D and has above it a cap plate or solid ring E which causes the thread to
diverge slightly on coming off the bobbin. It is easy to see how with this
arrangement in the machine the operation is divided as stated into its two
stages. Figure 2 is an elevation of a twisting machine having on one side the
arrangements for gathering together the fibrous materials for the first stage,
and on the other side the arrangements constructed as in Figure 1 for twisting
them in the second stage. X, Figure 2, is the bobbin on which the threads are
first gathered together or united and wound, and which bobbin is afterwards
taken and placed at A on the other side of the machine and the materials
that have been wound on it are delivered off it twisted as described and
wound into skeins or banks on the drum Y. Figure 3 is an elevation of
à twisting apparatus shewing an arrangement proposed according to this
Invention instead of and as an improvement on that described in the Specifi-
éation of my aforesaid Patent of December 1858. X is an upright shaft or
spindle carrying two discs or plates Y, Z, and also a fast pulley V and loose
pulley V; the pulley V communicates rapid rotary motion to the spindle from
a driving band passing over a drum situated in the longitudinal axis of the
machine and driven by ordinary connections from a steam engine or other motor.
The spindle X is stepped in a socket a, fixed in the cross-bar b' of the framework
and passes through a bush and oil cup c, let into another cross frame bar W.
On the disc Y are a number of pins on which are set the bobbins from
which the threads are to be wound off and whence they are delivered through.
orifices in the discs Z, corresponding in number to the number of pins on the
plate Y. Figure 3* is a top plan of the disc Z; the threads on immerging
:

page_text: from the orifices are guided by stationary guides e and moveable guides f
similar to those described in my former Specification, and are led between the
rollers g, h, to the roller or drum A to be wound upon the reel M first uniting
in and passing through an orifice in a rail j connected with a rail K, carrying,
a guide eye k; the thread which is twisted with only a few turns is wound on
to the reel M, (which I call the receiving reel), and which is caused to revolve
by frictional contact with the drum A. n are guide slots or grooves in the
uprights of the framework in which the journals of the axis of the reel M are
free to travel up gradually as the diameter of that reel increases from the
increasing quantity of thread or material wound on it, the reel thus continuing
to revolve by frictional contact with the drum A notwithstanding that its.
diameter is being progressively increased. The rollers g, h, are mounted in
the manner described in my former Patent, and as shewn in Figure 4, on an
adjusting bracket C on the cross rail B, having a guide slot so that these
rollers may be brought nearer to or farther from the drum A. The drum A-
is mounted on a shaft D to which rotary motion is communicated so that it
may. draw the twisted thread suitably and wind it round the reel M; the shaft:
D carries as many drums A as there are twisting instruments at that side of.
the frame; each drum A is connected to the shaft D as shown in Figure 4ª by
a key F, kept up against it by a screw v, and has on one side a number of
studs G set at intervals round it at a convenient distance between its centro
and its rim. The disconnecting arrangement is similar to that described in my
former Patent; t is a lever or bar centered at r, on the rail g, and having on one
of its arms s a projection o, which, when the apparatus is regularly at work, is
kept pressed against a projection i on a rod m, by a spring y; the rod m ter-
minates at bottom in a tail piece or fork u bearing against the driving strap, and.
the upper end of the rod m is connected to a weighted beam p which has at
one end a weight a' and at the other a stud or stop b. As long as the threads
are delivered off the bobbin unbroken they retain the guide f (on the disc Z)
within the rim of that disc; but if a thread were to break the guide f would
bo swung outward by centrifugal action into the position indicated in red lines
Figure 3*, and would strike against the end of the bar t, and move the beam p
a sufficient distance to release the projection o from the projection i over-
coming the spring y and shifting the rod m; the weight a' being no longer
retained in its original position would come down by its own gravity, and would
raise the stud b and bring it between two adjacent studs G on the drum A and
so stop the latter; while the piece u moving with the rod m would transfer
the driving strap on to the loose pulley V₁ and so stop the particular spindle
X carrying the bobbin wherefrom the broken thread proceeded; the shaft D

page_text: would nevertheless continue to rotate, carrying round with it all those drums A
not stopped as described, but not such as are stopped as explained; the dis-
connecting action being thus effected by the bart moving round an arc of a
circle, thereby stopping the spindle till the workman reunites the broken thread.
And having now described the nature of the Invention, and the manner in
which the same is to be performed, I declare that what I claim is,―
First, the mode of twisting, by means of a single rapidly revolving bobbin
from which the thread or fibrous material to be twisted is led directly to the
winding-on drum without passing through any guide or appendage revolving
with the bobbin, but which thread or material is caused to deviate or diverge
as it is delivered off by means of à cap or appliance above the bobbin.
Second, the arrangement and combination of parts of twisting apparatus
herein-before described and represented in the Drawings.
Third, the method of operation hereinbefore described for effecting the
division of the operation into two stages one for gathering together or uniting
tlie materials, and the other for the subsequent twisting; which method may
also be applied to the twisting of threads or yarns doubled by hand or
otherwise.
Fourth, the arrangement and combination of a drum or roller. A communi-
cating rotary motion to the reel for receiving the twisted materials, and that
notwithstanding the progressively increasing diameter of the latter (as it
becomes filled) from its being free to rise gradually in slots n as described,
combined with the arrangement for stopping the drum if a thread should break,
and the arrangement whereby the drum is caused to rotate with its shaft, but
is not prevented from being loose thereon when stopped by the stud as herein-
before described.
In witness whereof, I, the said Michael Henry, have hereunto
set my hand and scal, this Fourteenth day of September One
Witness,
S. E. A NEWSOME, Patent Office,.
84, Fleet St., London.
:
M. HENRY (L8.)