Improvements in Self-acting Mules.
Year: 1898

page_text: Date of Application, 11th Oct., 1898-Accepted, 26th Nov., 1898
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Self-acting Mules.
We, JOE RAMSDEN, of Brookroyd Mill, Birstall, near Leeds, in the County. of
York, Manufacturer, ARTHUR TURTON TAYLOR, of Bradford Road West, Batley,"
in the County of York, Manager, and JAMES RAMSDEN, of 10A, Park Square,
Leeds, aforesaid, Merchant, do hereby declare the nature of this invention 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 the winding on and copping or building motions
of self acting mules. The object of our invention is to employ in conjunction
with the ordinary "quadrant" supplemental mechanism by which the action
of the quadrant is modified and a more uniform motion given to the spindles
for winding on the successive chases in building up the cops; and to provide
simple and effective copping or building mechanism for cross winding the yarn
in winding on, such mechanism by the removal therefrom of the parts for giving
reciprocatory motion to the front or acting faller and the substitution of the
ordinary copping rail, being adapted also for winding on the yarn in the ordinary
way. Combined with the cross winding motion we provide means for automatic-
beam or
ally stopping the crosswinding just before the carriage reaches the
rollers on its return or inward stretch, in order that two or more plain turns
of yarn may be wound on the spindles. We also provide a locking device for
locking the front and counterfallers together, when they return to their positions
of rest at the termination of each winding-on, and dispense with the chains
heretofore employed for locking the front faller.
$6
"
Our invention consists in certain novel features of construction and operation
of parts for the purposes above stated, as will be hereinafter fully described.
Referring to the drawings:-Fig. 1 is side sectional clevation of the "end"
piece of the headstock of a self acting mule, shewing, in conjunction therewith,-
in section taken through the square" or iron plate which connects the two
parts of the carriage together at the headstock-the mule carriage in a position
part way on its return stretch to the beam or rollers when the winding on is
taking place.
"
Fig. 2 is sectional plan of the long arm of the quadrant shewing the mode of
re-duplication of the winding chain for modifying the action of the quadrant
and giving
a uniform wind.
Fig. 3 is side elevation of the faller leg and parts and the means for giving
oscillatory motion through same to the front faller wire for crosswinding the
yarn, the faller leg being shewn disengaged from the "rocker."
Fig. 4 is front view, partly in section, of the parts shewn in Fig. 3, looking
in the direction of arrow a same figure.
Fig. 5 is plan view taken on line b, c, of Fig. 3.
Fig. 6 is side elevation of catch lever and parts for effecting the premature
stoppage of the crosswinding motion.
Fig. 7 is front elevation of the parts shewn in Fig. 6, looking in the direction
of arrow d same figure.

page_text: 111 UHC
of arrow e, Fig. 4.
Fig. 9 is cross section through the faller shafts, shewing a detail hereafter
referred to.
Fig. 10 is elevation of the combined copping rail for cross and plain winding.
Figs. 3 to 9 are drawn to an enlarged scale.
The same numerals refer to corresponding parts in all the figures.
In the drawings, 1 represents the end piece of the headstock of a self acting
mule, 2, 2, the quadrant, which oscillates upon a stud 3, and has its oscillation
given to it by the pinion 4 mounted on the quadrant drum shaft 5, which is
driven by cord 6 passing around the quadrant drum 7. Within the long arm 2
of the quadrant and extending its, entire length is the screw 8 which works the
sliding block 9, whereto one end of the winding chain 10 is attached, the opposite
end of said chain being secured to winding barrel 11. With the exception that
the quadrant drum is of larger diameter than the drum now employed, to
give a slower and decreased movement, and that the chain 10 does not pass direct
from the sliding block 9 to the chain barrel 11, the parts above described com-
prise. the ordinary winding-on motion for revolving the spindles as the mule
carriage travels back to the beam, as will be well understood by those skilled
in the art to which this invention refers.
Integral with or secured to the sliding block 9 are lugs 9" in bearings in which
is journalled a stud 12 upon which are loosely mounted and secured pulleys 12",
125. On a stud 13 carried in a bracket bolted to the framing 1 intermediate of
the quadrant and the mule carriage, are mounted loosely other similar pulleys 13",
13b, these however being fixed as to position, while the pulleys 12ª, 12b, are
moveable. The winding chain 10, instead of being attached directly to the sliding
block 9 as heretofore, is first passed under and around the near moveable pulley 12".
then over and around the near fixed pulley 13", under and over the second move-
able pulley 12, and finally over and under the second fixed pulley 13b, from
whence it is taken and the end thereof made secure to the stud 12, or to the
sliding block 9.
"
This combined system of moveable and fixed pulleys, and the mode of re-
duplication of the winding chain, enables the arc of movement of the quadrant
to be minimised, so that it does not get beyond or much beyond the dead centre
or vertical position at the furthest and, therefore, the constantly changing angular
position of one point of connection of the winding chain with the other point
of connection thereof, as is the case with the ordinary winding motion, does not
occur and there is consequently a greater uniformity in the winding-on of the
yarn.
In connecting the chain 10 to the quadrant, after re-duplication around the
fixed and moveable pulleys, the portion of said chain lying between the winding
barrel 11 and the pulley blocks gives in the ratio of four to one of the arc of
movement of the sliding block, that is to say, if the sliding block moves radially
through one inch of space, each portion of chain around the fixed and moveable
pulleys will be shortened one inch, and therefore four inches of chain will be
actually paid out to the winding barrel. The smaller the amount of chain paid
out, that is, when the sliding block is nearest the centre 3, the greater is the
unwinding of chain from the barrel 11 and consequently the greater the velocity
at which the spindles are driven, while as the sliding block 9 moves further and
further away from the centre 3, so in proportion does the amount of chain paid
out increase, and reduce the unwinding from the barrel. If a larger amount of
chain is required to be paid out in proportion to the same movement of the quad-
rant, an additional fixed and moveable pulley may be added, giving three fixed
and three moveable pulleys, which would pay out six times more chain than
the extent of radial movement of the sliding block; or other number of pulleys
may be used.
The paying out of the chain 10 is exactly proportionate to the extent of radial

page_text: movement of the sliding block 9, and therefore there is perfect uniformity of
winding from the commencement of the cops to their completion, the angular
variation arising from the increasing distance moved by the sliding block on the
screw 8, away from centre 3, not affecting the winding motion.
Referring now to the copping or building motion, 14 represents the mule
carriage; 15 the tin cylinder mounted on shaft 16 and driven by gearing 17
from the winding barrel 11; 18 the spindles which are driven by bands (not
shewn) from the tin cylinder 15; 19 the faller leg connected at 20 to the front
or acting faller 21 secured on the front faller shaft 22 to which are also secured
arms 23 (only one being shewn) carrying the front faller wire 24 extending from
end to end of the mule carriage and being actuated by said faller leg to guide the
varn upon the spindles during the return traverse of the carriage from the
extremity of its outer stretch to the beam or rollers; 25 the counter faller shaft
and 26 the counter faller wire carried by arms 27 (one only being shewn) all
arranged in the ordinary and well known way.
The faller leg 19 instead of being in one piece as heretofore, is made in two
parts, that is to say, with a separate foot 19", which is provided on its face with
a recess or groove 19b, into which is adapted to enter and slide telescopically
the lower end of the faller leg 19. Secured to the foot 19" is a nut 28 through
which works a screw 29 supported at its upper and lower ends in lugs 19°, 19ª,
formed integral with the faller leg 19. On the upper end of the screw is fast a
ratchet wheel 30 held in position by a holding pawl or detent 31 centred at 32
on a lever 33 mounted on the screw spindle. The screw is actuated each time
the carriage arrives at the extremity of the outward stretch or draw, by means of
a fixed finger 34 (see Fig. 5) attached to any convenient part of the end piece 1
and in the path of said ratchet wheel, so that when it comes into contact with the
finger the latter engages with a tooth thereof and turns it round a distance
equal to one tooth or more as may be predetermined, the result being that the
partial rotation of the screw 29 slightly raises the foot 19%, and thus shortens the
faller leg, this being repeated each time the carriage reaches the end of its out-
ward stretch and gradually shortening the faller leg and raising the faller
wire 24 for each successive winding on of yarn to give the proper build to the cop.
In thus effecting the building of the cop by a telescopic faller leg which is
shortened for every successive chase, we do not require the shaper plates hitherto
employed in mules for altering the height of the copping rail. Therefore, we
provide a rail 35 having side ribs 36, 36, which engage with the upper sides
of a channelled bar 37 resting on the floor. To enable the rail 35 to be used
for either cross or plain ordinary winding, we provide it on one side with a per-
fectly plain level surface 35%, and on the reverse side with the inclined surface 35b
(see Fig. 10) of the ordinary copping rail. The rail is arranged with the level
surface 35 uppermost (as shewn) when cross winding the yarn, but when ordinary
winding, the rail is turned over and the surface 35b presented.
The bar 37 forms a solid support for the rail 35 from end to end, and there
is no liability of it springing or giving in the middle, as is the case when sup-
ported on shaper plates at each end only, and consequently faulty building up
of the cops is avoided. The pitch of the screw 29 is a varving one, getting
coarser from the bottom to the top so that the changes made in the position
of the faller wire 24 at each successive winding on of yarn will increase as the
building of the cops proceeds to give the abrupt taper required. and compensate
for the difference which the gradual upward movement of the faller wire away
from the spindle makes in the winding.
Fig. 3 shews a modification in the application of screw 29 to admit of the
present ordinary faller leg being employed. The screw 29 is supported at its
upper and lower ends in lugs 19°, 19ª, integral with a bracket bolted to the
rocker 38 and is arranged the reverse way to that previously described
the finer pitch of the thread being at the top and the coarsest at the bottom. The
screw works through a nut 28 carrying the stud 60 which, at each turn of the
"

page_text: ratchet wheel one tooth round, is gradually lowered and causes the faller leg 19
to be lowered correspondingly to raise the front faller wire the requisite distance
to wind on each successive "chase" of yarn.
To crosswind the yarn upon the spindles, the "rocker" 38 is made in the form
of a rectangular frame which is carried as before by the lever 39 fulcrummed
at 40 on a stud secured to a bracket bolted to the "square." In said frame 38
and adapted to slide laterally therein is a block 41 held in the frame by flanges 42
and having a central opening therethrough in which fits a disc 43 which is
secured eccentrically on a shaft 44 supported in bearings in brackets 45, 45,
holted to the "square." The eccentric 43 is provided with a slot 43" arranged
diametrically of same, by which the position of said eccentric on shaft 44 may
he adjusted to reduce or increase its eccentricity for the purpose of varying the
length of "nose" according to the counts or quality of yarn being spun. On
the near end of the shaft 44 is mounted loosely a small pulley or anti-friction
bowl 46 which rests upon and is adapted to ride over the surface of the rail 35,
and supports or assists in supporting the parts. On the opposite end of the
shaft 44 is secured a barrel or long boss 47 having attached thereto the ends of
two separate cords 48, 49, the opposite end of cord 48 being connected to a rod
or spindle 50 supported in a bracket 51 at the rear of the headstock, and the
opposite end of cord 49 being coiled upon and secured to a stud 52 carried at
the end of a lever arm 53 pivotted on a stud 54 secured to a bracket 55 bolted
to the front of the end piece 1, of the headstock. These cords wind and unwind
themselves around and from the barrel 47 as the carriage moves out and in, the
cord 49 being wound on the barrel as the carriage travels out by the unwinding
of cord 48, and the cord 48 wound on the barrel during the return traverse of
the carriage by the unwinding of cord 49.
When the carriage 14 is receding from the beam to the outer extremity of its
stretch, the faller leg 19 is detached from the rocker 38, as shewn at Fig. 3, and
is idle. After the ratchet wheel 30 has engaged the fixed finger 34, at the end
of the "stretch" and been moved the distance of a tooth or more to adjust or
shorten the faller leg 19 said faller leg is acted upon by chain 56, attached at
one end to a loose scroll 57 on the tin cylinder shaft 16 then passed round a
guide pulley 58 carried by arm 58 secured to the faller leg 19 and passed once
around the pulley 59 carried by arm 59 secured to the faller 21. and attached
to the part 75 said chain drawing up the faller leg to the position shewn at Fig. 1,
the recess at the bottom of the foot 19ª, passing over and engaging with the
stud 60 secured to the "rocker" 38. thus ensuring a positive movement of the
faller leg with the rocker. The scroll 57 is actuated in the ordinary well known
way to wind on the chain 56 and raise the faller leg into engagement with the
rocker 38.
The parts being now in the position shewn in Fig. 1, the carriage commences
its return traverse to the beam to wind the yarn, which has just been drawn
and spun, on to the spindles. During this return movement the cord 49 being
held at its outer end, unwinds itself from the barrel 47 and thereby rotates it
and also the eccentric 43, the latter consequently oscillating the rocker 38 and
the faller leg 19 and parts, by which means the faller wire 24 is constantly
oscillated during the winding-on of the yarn, and crosses the yarn first to right
and then to left in building up its chase, thereby building up a firm, compact.
crosswound con. On the arrival of the mule carriage at the "beam." the faller
leg is knocked off the stud 60, as ordinarily, and the parts resume the positions
shewn at Figs. 3 and 4. the succeeding outward stretch of the carriage, by means
of cord 48, again winding the cord 49 around the barrel 47 in readiness for the
next return traverse of the carriage, when the movements above described are
repeated.
To wind on two or more plain turns of varn for "backing off"
purposes, we
automatically stop the oscillation of the faller leg 19 just prior to the carriage
arriving back at the "beam" in order that the remaining lengths of yarn may

page_text: be wound in two or three straight coils on the spindle. The means we employ
for this purpose comprise a catch lever 61 hinged loosely on the stud 52 of lever
arm 53, said lever arm, and a segmental plate 62 secured on a stud 63 carried
by the lever arm 53, and resting on a collar 64 (see Fig. 7) on the stud 52. On
the outward stretch of the mule carriage, the lower end of the toothed seg-
ment 2 in its descent, engages with the curved periphery of the plate 62 and
forces it downwards, said plate thus forcing the lever arm to the front of the
end piece of the headstock as shewn in full line in Figs. 1 and 6 and drawing
the catch lever forward until its extremity drops down against a shoulder 65
formed in the bed plate of the end piece, whereby the catch lever and parts are
locked in the positions shewn in full line in Figs. 1 and 6.
The catch lever 61 is connected by a length of chain 66 to the quadrant 2ª
which allows for nearly the full movement of the quadrant in the direction of
the mule carriage on its return traverse before it is drawn tight, and when this
happens, the pull on the said chain draws the catch lever out of engagement
with the shoulder 65 and allows the parts to be pulled by the tension of cord 49,
into the position shewn in dotted line in Fig. 1, thereby slackening the cord 49
which consequently ceases to rotate the barrel' 47 and stops the cross winding
of the yarn. The stopping of the motion of barrel 47 is timed to happen when
the shorter radii of the eccentric 43 arrive over the shaft 44 and the faller is in
its highest position, by which means the remaining portion of yarn will be
wound on the top of each chase. In order to take up the slack of cord 48 caused
by the stoppage of the rotation of barrel 47 before the carriage 14 arrives fully
home, the spindle or rod 50 is surrounded by a spiral spring 67 which is confined
between the bracket 51 and a collar 68 secured on the end of said spindle. The
pull of the cord 48, when winding on to the barrel 47 compresses the spring 67
by drawing the spindle 50 forward, and when the barrel ceases to rotate as before
explained, the spring expands and takes up the slack of cord 48. The cord 49
can be tightened by rotating the stud 52 which is held, when released by a
pawl 63, which engages the ratchet wheel 52 secured on stud 52.
To change the motion so as to give a plain ordinary wind instead of a cross
wind, the cords 48, 49, are disconnected, the shaft 44 with the eccentric and barrel
removed from the mule, the chain 66 detached from the quadrant, and the
rail 35 reversed to bring the surface 35b uppermost. A small pulley or bowl
similar to the bowl 46, is then secured on a stud which is passed through the
slot 69 formed in the side of the frame or rocker 38 and fastened thereto by a
nut, this bowl resting on and riding over the inclined surface 35b, which gives
the ordinary winding action to the faller wire 24, the building being effected by
the shortening of the faller leg as before described.
With regard to the eccentric motion for oscillating the faller leg for cross
winding the yarn there are equivalent pieces of mechanism, such as a connecting
rod connected eccentrically to a face plate, or a pinion rotated by a toothed rail,
which would give the same motion, but we find the eccentric and parts before
set forth to give the simplest and smoothest motion and with the self adjusting
telescopic faller leg well adapted to build up a firm and compact cop.
In order to dispense with the several chains which are required to hold the
front faller wire out of the way during the outward traverse of the mule carriage,
we employ a simple device for locking the fallers. On the faller shafts 22
and 25 are mounted respectively levers 70, 71, the former at its free end having
a chamber 72 bored therein into which enters the enlarged end 73 of a stud or
pin 74 extending through a small opening into said chamber and held in position
therein by a collar or head 75. Between the end of the chamber 72 and the
part 73 of the pin 74 is confined a spiral spring 76. The lever 71 is provided
on its front side with an opening or recess 77 into which when the said levers
are brought together, the enlarged end of the locking pin is adapted to enter and
engage the end thereof, as shewn in Figs. 3, 4 and 8. The rear portion of the
lever 71 is bent or inclined, as shewn in plan Fig. 8, so that when the fallers

page_text: return to a position of rest on the conclusion of each successive winding-on, the
said inclined surface engages with and bears against the end of the locking pin 74
and forces it back into the chamber 72 until the recess 77 in lever 71 comes
opposite thereto, whereupon the spring 76 impels the locking pin forward into
the recess 77 and locks the two levers and consequently the fallers together. To
release the fallers when commencing the winding-on, the chain 56 is lengthened,
and instead of being fixed to the pulley 59, as has been customary, it is coiled
completely around said pulley, then passed around a pulley 78 carried on a stud
secured to the faller 21, and secured at the end to an eyelet formed at the end
of the collar or head 75 of the locking pin 74. On the chain being wound upon
the scroll 57 to draw up the faller leg, the pull thereon draws the locking pin
forward clear of the lever 71, thus releasing both levers and allowing the faller
wires to move to their proper positious, the front faller wire over the yarn in
readiness to guide it on to the spindle and the counter faller under the yarn
to put the necessary tension thereon, as shewn at Fig. 1. To avoid the counter
faller wire rising too rapidly against the yarn when released, we attach one end
of a chain 79 to the counter faller arm 27 (see detail Fig. 9) said chain being
passed around a fixed pulley 80. and connected at its opposite end to a lever 81
secured on the front faller shaft 22. This chain initially restrains the upward
movement of the counterfaller wire, and as the front faller wire moves to its
position for guiding the yarn on to the spindle, the chain slackens and sets the
counterfaller wire free to bear fully against the yarn.
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 a self acting mule, the combination with the "quadrant," of a set of
moveable pulleys carried by the sliding block on the quadrant screw and a set
of fixed pulleys carried in a bracket bolted to the side framing of the headstock,
and the re-duplication of the winding chain by passing it around the pulleys in
each set alternately and finally attaching it to the sliding block, substantially
as set forth.
2. In self acting mules, a screw of varying pitch for lowering the position of
the faller leg, as the building proceeds and gradually raising the front faller
wire to guide the yarn in successive chases one above or upon the other and the
means for actuating said screw.
3, In self acting mules, the combination with the faller leg, of a separate or
detached foot forming a part of said leg and adapted to be slided up and down
thereon, a screw of variable pitch carried by the faller leg and working through
a nut attached to the said foot for lengthening and shortening the faller leg
and the means for actuating the screw, substantially as set forth.
4, In a self acting mule, for crosswinding the yarn, a "rocker" or frame
actuated by means of a cam or eccentric for raising and lowering the faller leg,
arranged and operated, substantially as herein shewn and described.
""
5, In self acting mules, the combination with the pivotted "rocker" or frame
which carries the faller leg when the mule is winding-on, of an eccentric working
in said " rocker or frame and imparting to it, and to the faller leg, and front
faller wire, an oscillatory up and down motion for crossing and recrossing the
yarn, and the means for giving rotary motion to the eccentric, substantially as
set forth.
6, In self acting mules, a rail for supporting the "rocker" in its traverse with
the mule carriage, having a plain level surface on one side for the cross winding
motion, and on the opposite side the inclined surface of an ordinary copping rail
for the ordinary plain winding motion and provided on its lateral edges with ribs
adapted to engage and rest upon a channelled bar supported on the floor in which
bar the rail is reversible, substantially as set forth.

page_text: 7, In self acting mules, the combination with the means for building up
the cops and crosswinding the yarn thereon, of a barrel secured on the same
shaft as the eccentric, cords attached at one end to the barrel and secured at
their opposite ends, one to a yielding spindle or bar, and the other to a lever
arm at the outer end of the headstock, a catch lever carried by said lever arm,
and adapted to be engaged with a fixed shoulder when the lever arm is forced
outward by the quadrant on the outward traverse of the mule carriage, and to be
disengaged from said shoulder just before the carriage arrives at the end of its
return traverse, and the means for engaging and disengaging the catch lever,
substantially as set forth.
8, In self acting mules, the combination with the faller shafts, of levers
mounted thereon, a locking pin for locking said levers together, and consequently
the fallers, at the termination of each successive winding-on and releasing them
again after each successive drawing and spinning of the yarn, and the chain
connection for restraining the initial upward movement of the counter faller
when released, substantially as set forth.
Dal 1
1.
1000
TASKER & CROSSLEY,
Patent Agents, Halifax.