Improvements in Mechanism for Controlling the Speed of Rotation of Spindles in Spinning Mules.
Year: 1890

page_text: Date of Application, 14th Mar., 1890
Complete Specification Left, 15th Dec., 1890-Accepted, 21st Feb., 1.891
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Mechanism for Controlling the Speed of Rotation
of Spindles in Spinning Mules.
I, JOSEPH HIGGINSON, the younger, of 20, Canal Street, Ancoats, Manchester,
in the County of Lancaster, Engineer, do hereby declare the nature of this
invention to be as follows :-
In the operation of the spinning mule while spinning the finer counts the spindles
rotate at a certain velocity during the outward travel of the carriage, and so give
the yarn a certain amount of twist. When the carriage has terminated its extreme
travel, and is at the head, the mechanism driving the spindles automatically
changed or controlled, that the speed passes from single to double and a con-
siderable number of turns or twists are given to the yarn while at or near the
extreme stretch at the double speed.
Different counts and qualities of yarns require different ratios between the speed
of the spindles in the out travel of the carriage, and their speed at the head, that.
is, different ratios are required between the single and double speeds. This is due
to the fact that the maximum or double speed should always be nearly constant,
and at or near the highest practicable speed of rotation of the spindles, while at
the single speed a wide range is desirable without varying to any great extent the
double speed.
In the mechanism hitherto applied to the purpose of changing from single to
double speed, toothed wheels are largely used, and when the ratio of the single and
double speed has to be changed, considerable changes in the gear wheels are also
required to adapt the two speeds to the changed ratio. Loss of time is thus
occasioned in readjusting the mule to suit a different count of yarn or thread.
The object of my invention is to simplify the actuating mechanism so us to
reduce the number of gear wheels required, to a minimum and in some cases to
dispense entirely with the use of gear wheels in the mechanism for driving the
spindles both for single and double speed, At the same time I so devise my
arrangements that notwithstanding any variation in the rate of rotation at single
speed, the double speed remains unaffected by such change. The variation in
single speed to suit a different yarn, is of the simplest possible description, and
involves the change of only one driving rim, so that a great saving of time is
effected in accomplishing it.
In one mode of carrying my invention into effect, I arrange the spinning mule
with two rims, one a single speed rim, the other a double speed rim, the two rims
being upon separate shafts. Upon the single speed rim shaft I place three pulleys,
one a driving pulley made fast to the shaft, a second a loose pulley, and the third
a pulley also loose upon the shaft, but fast to a toothed wheel. This toothed wheel
gears into a second toothed wheel, fast upon the double speed rin shaft. All three
pulleys are of the same diameter, and the loose pulley is placed between the
pulley which is fast upon the single speed rim shaft and that which carries the
toothed wheel.
The former pulley is the single speed, the latter the double speed. So long as
the driving belt is upon the single speed pulley, the single speed shaft is driven
lirect, and as the rin band passes over both single, and double speed rims, it follows
hat the double speed rim is driven by the band from the single speed rim, and the
toothed wheel attached to the pulley loose upon the single speed shaft, does not
constrain the single speed shaft in any way, as the shaft rotates freely in, or through
t. When the belt is on the single speed pulley, the single speed rim drives the
double speed rim. At the end of the carriage travel, however, the belt is shifted

page_text: across the middle loose pulley, to the double speed pulley, and this rotates by the
toothed wheel to which it is fast, the toothed wheel upon the double speed shaft, so
that the double speed shaft is now driven from the belt and the double speed rim
now drives the single speed rim by the rim band so that it is now the driver, and
the single speed rim the driven wheel. The double speed is attained by suitably
proportioning the toothed wheels, or the rims, or both together, that is, both rims
may be the same diameter, in which case the speeding is entirely done by the
toothed wheels, or the ratio of the rims may be such as to give the necessary
velocity, or both rims, and wheels may be varied. By this arrangement it is easy
to change the rate of rotation of the spindles, due to single speed without in any
way interfering with the double speed. All that is necessary is to remove the
single speed rim and replace it by another of a different diameter, at the same time
taking up the slack or letting out more of the rim band by adjustments common to
spinning mules. This at once changes single speed without affecting the double.
The driving pulleys may be placed on the double speed rim shaft if required, the
single speed shaft would be driven through the toothed wheels and the double
speed would be driven direct.
By another mode of carrying my invention into effect, I dispense entirely with
gearing or toothed wheels and drive both double, and single speed shafts direct
by belt. This is accomplished by arranging the two shafts in line on the same axis,
and placing upon either of these three pulleys, one of which is fast to one shaft, the
intermediate being a loose pulley, and the third pulley being fast to the second
shaft, suitable forms of coupling are arranged so that the pulleys keep in line on
one or other shaft. The single and double speed rims are at the extremities of
the two shafts and if the single speed pulley is rotated by the belt, the smaller single
speed rim drives the rim band and by it the double speed rim. When the belt is
shifted to the double speed pulley, the double speed rim is driven directly, and so
drives by the band the single speed rim, so that the desired change in speed is
effected entirely without toothed gearing simply-by-the-proper-proportioning-of
the diameters of the two rims. In this mode also the single speed may be changed
by changing the rim without affecting the double speed. This arrangement may
be conveniently described as a split shaft arrangement, and it works very
smoothly.
Sometimes I arrange the two rims single and double speed at opposite ends
of the mule headstock, as I have herein before described, at other times I arrange
both rims concentric on the same axis, driven without toothed gear as I have
described, but constructed so that one shaft runs through the other, that is, one
shaft is hollow, and carries fast to it, one of the rims, while the other shaft passes
through it, and carries also a pulley fast to it, and a rim. The loose pulley is of
course arranged between. Either shaft may carry single or double speed rim,
without departing from the essential feature of my invention, which involves the
arrangement of driving mechanism in such manner that the single speed may be
readily altered without interfering with the double speed.
The first arrangement hereinbefore described may be modified to suit rims, both
placed at the same end of the headstock, working similarly to what I there
detailed so far as arrangement and action of the toothed gearing and rims is
concerned.
The hollow shaft arrangement may also be actuated by suitable gear wheels
to allow of speeding by gear as in my first modification and in that arrangement
a clutch may be used for the double speed pulley so as to dispense with a
separate loose pulley. The clutch then drives the double speed rim after the belt
has passed from the single speed to double speed pulley, which is loose until the
clutch brings it into action to drive the shaft.
CLERK & MARKS,
13, Temple Street, Birmingham, Agents for Applicant.

page_text: COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Mechanism for Controlling the Speed of 'Rotation
of Spindles in Spinning Mules..
I, JOSEPH HIGGINSON, the younger, of 20, Canal Street, Ancoats, Manchester,
in the County of Lancaster, Engineer, do hereby declare the nature of this inven
tion and in what manner the same is to be performed, to be particularly described.
and ascertained in and by the following statement :-
In the operation of the spinning mule while spinning the finer counts, the
spindles rotate at a certain velocity during the outward travel of the carriage, and
so give the yarn a certain amount of twist. When the carriage has terminated
its extreme travel, and is at the head, the mechanism driving the spindles is auto-
matically changed or controlled that the speed passes from single to double and a
considerable number of turns or twists are given to the yarn while at or near the
extreme stretch at the double speed.
Different counts and qualities of yarns require different ratios between the 'speed
of the spindles in the out travel of the carriage and their speed at the head, that
is different ratios are required between the single and double speeds. This is due
to the fact that the maximum or double speed should always be nearly constant
and at or near the highest practicable speed of rotation of the spindles while at
the single speed a wide range is desirable without varying to any great extent the
double speed.
In the mechanism hitherto applied to the purpose of changing froin single to
double speed, toothed wheels are largely used, and when the ratio of the single and
double speed has to be changed, considerable changes in. the gear wheels are also
required to adapt the two speeds to the changed ratio. Loss of time is thus
occasioned in readjusting the mule to suit a different count of yarn or thread.
The object of my invention is to simplify the actuating mechanism so as to reduce
the number of gear wheels required to a minimum and in some cases to dispense
entirely with the use of gear wheels in the mechanism for driving the spindles 'both.
for single and double speed. At the same time I so devise my arrangements that
notwithstanding any variation in the rate of rotation at single speed the double
speed remains unaffected by such change. The variation in single speed. to suit a
different yarn is of the simplest possible description and involves the change of
only one driving rim, so that a great saving of time is effected in'accomplishing it.
In one mode of carrying my invention into effect, I arrange the spinning mule
with two rims, one a single speed rim, the other a double speed rim, the two rims
being upon separate shafts.. Upon the single speed rim shaft I place three pulleys,
one a driving pulley made fast to the shaft, a second a loose pulley, and the third a
pulley also loose upon the shaft, but fast to a toothed wheel. This toothed wheel
gears into a second toothed wheel, fast upon the double speed rim shaft. All three
pulleys are of the same diameter and the loose pulley is placed between the pulley
which is fast upon the single speed rim shaft and that which carries the toothed
wheel.
The former pulley is the single speed, the latter the double speed. So long as
the driving belt is upon the single speed pulley, the single speed shaft is driven
direct, and as the rim band passes over both single and double speed rims, it follows
that the double speed rim is driven from the band from the single speed rim and
the toothed wheel attached to the pulley loose upon the single speed shaft does not
constrain the single speed shaft in any way, as the shaft rotates freely in or through
it. When the belt is on the single speed pulley the single speed rim drives the
double speed rim.
At the end of the carriage travel, however, the belt is shifted across the middle
loose pulley to the double speed pulley, and this rotates by the toothed wheel to
which it is fast the toothed wheel upon the double speed shaft, so that the double
speed shaft is now driven from the belt and the double speed rim. now drives the

page_text: Single speed rim by the rim band so that it is now the driver and the single speed
rim the driven wheel. The double speed is attained by suitably proportioning the
toothed wheels, or the rims, or both together, that is, both rims may be the same
diameter, in which case the speeding is entirely done by the toothed wheels, or the
ratio of the rims may be such as to give the necessary velocity, or both rims and
wheels may be varied.
By this arrangement it is easy to change the rate of rotation of the spindles due
to single speed without in any way interfering with the double speed. All that is
necessary is to remove the single speed rim and replace it by another of a different
diameter at the same time taking up the slack or letting out more of the rim band
by adjustments common to spinning mules. This at once changes single speed
without affecting the double. The driving pulleys may be placed on the double
speed rim shaft if required, the single speed shaft would be driven through the
toothed wheels and the double speed shaft would be driven direct.
By another mode of carrying my invention into effect I dispense entirely with
gearing or toothed wheels and drive both double and single speed shafts direct
by belt.
Sometimes I arrange both rims concentric on the same axis driven without
toothed gear as I have described, but constructed so that one shaft runs through
the other, that is, one shaft is hollow, and carries fast to it one of the rims, while
the other shaft passes through it, and carries also a pulley fast to it, and a rim. The
loose pulley is of course arranged between. Either shafts may carry single or
double speed rim without departing from the essential feature of my invention,
which involves the arrangement of driving mechanism in such manner that the
single speed may be readily altered without interfering with the double speed.
The first arrangement hereinbefore described may be modified to suit rims both
placed at the same end of the headstock working similarly to what I there detailed
so-far-as-arrangement_and_action_of_the toothed gearing and rims is concerned.
The hollow shaft arrangement may also be actuated by suitable gear wheels-to
allow of speeding by gear as in my first modification and in that arrangement a
clutch may be used for the double speed pulley so as to dispense with a separate
loose pulley. The clutch then drives the double speed rim after the belt has passed
from the single speed to double speed pulley which is loose until the clutch brings
it into action to drive the shaft.
With reference to the two accompanying sheets of drawings
Figure 1 is an elevation of the first modification of my invention herein described
in which the gearing is reduced to two wheels and the single and double speed rims
are on separate shafts.
Figure 2 is an end elevation of the rims and rim band.
Figure 3 is an elevation of a similar arrangement but the double speed rim is
driven direct from the shaft and the single speed rim is driven through geared
wheels.
Figures 4 and 5 are respectively longitudinal and end elevations of the hollow
shaft modification and
Figure 6 illustrates the application of another modification of my invention in
which a countershaft is employed in order to dispense with gear wheels.
Referring to Figure 1, the shaft A is driven by the pulley A' fast upon it and it
carries at one end the single speed rim B which drives the rim band C and after
actuating the cylinder it passes to the rim D and rotates it. The rim D is the
double speed rim and it is mounted upon the shaft E connecting to the double
speed pulley E by the gear wheels E, E, and the sleeve which moves
freely the shaft A. When the single speed pulley is driving, the single speed
rim by the rim band drives the double speed rim D and its shaft gear and
pulley. When the driving belt is shifted from the single speed pulley A' it
passes to the loose pulley F and then on the double speed pulley E' and so
drives the double speed rim D, which in turn actuates the single speed rim B
and its shaft and pulley. The single and double speed shafts and rims thus

page_text: alternately become driver and driven, and the fact that the sleeve E is loose
on the shaft permits it to rotate independently of the speed of the shaft A
within it. The double speed is got up either by the gear wheels E' E' so that
the shaft E rotates faster when driven from the double speed pulley or the
diameter of the rim D is made greater than at B. In either case it is only
necessary to change the single speed rim, B for a larger or smaller rim to alter the
single speed as desired and this keeps the double speed constant notwithstanding
this. The rim band C may be either taken up or let out by the well known adjust-
ments common to spinning mules to suit the altered conditions. Figure 2 shows
the end elevation of the rims B and D and also illustrates a convenient course for
the rim band C passing over suitable pulleys. In Figures 1 and 2 the single speed
rim is driven direct from the driving pulley, and the double speed rim is driven
through gear wheels. Figure 3 shows a very similar arrangement with similar parts
indicated by the same letters, but the double speed rim D is driven direct from the
pulley E fastened to the shaft E while the single speed rim B is actuated from the
pulley A and gear wheels E, E³, and shaft A from the sleeve E. The single
speed is thus driven by gearing and the double speed direct, and the arrangement
presents some advantages as at the higher speed of rotation the driving power does
not pass through the gear wheels and the only work then imposed upon these wheels
is to drive the pulley A and sleeve E' loose upon the shaft E.
Figure 4 illustrates the action of my hollow shaft arrangement and in this case
the double speed rim D is mounted on the hollow shaft E driven direct by the
pulley E while the single speed pulley B is mounted on the shaft A which passes
through the hollow shaft and is driven by the pulley A' the loose pulley being
also mounted on A. The action of this modification is at once evident and it will
be readily understood that the double speed pulley and rim may be arranged on the
other shaft and the single speed on the hollow shaft if desired.
Figure 5 is an end elevation showing the rims D, B, and one arrangement of rim
band C.
Figure 6 shows my invention as carried into effect by means of a counter shaft
and hollow shaft. The double speed pulley E' actuates the shaft E carrying the
double speed rim D and the shaft E passes through the hollow shaft A. and works
within it. The single speed rim B is mounted upon a counter shaft A² connected by
belt and pulleys with the hollow single speed shaft A. The loose pulley F stands
as before between the single and double speed pulleys A and E'. When the single
speed is driving the driving belt is upon the pulley A' which rotates the shaft A
the pulleys G and H and the counter shaft A' and the single speed rim. This
arrangement is convenient for the purpose of adapting my improvements to existing
machinery and the single speed may be varied as hereinbefore described without
interfering with the double speed.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said inven-
tion and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what I
claim is-
1. In spinning machinery, an arrangement of single and double speed gear in
which two toothed wheels, two shafts and two rims are adapted to operate the single
and double speed substantially as and for the purposes hereinbefore described and
illustrated with reference to Figures 1, 2, 3, of the accompanying drawings.
2. The arrangement of double speed gear operating without toothed wheels, com-
prising two rims, a hollow shaft with a central shaft passed through it and single
and double speed pulleys and a loose pulley substantially as hereinbefore
described and illustrated with reference to Figures 4 and 5 of the accompanying
drawings.
3. The arrangement of double speed gear operating without toothed wheels com-
prising two rims, a hollow shaft with a central shaft passed through it and single
and double speed pulleys and a loose pulley together with a counter shaft and

page_text: suitable pulleys which counter shaft carries one of the rims substantially as herein-
before described and illustrated with reference to Figure 6 of the drawings.
4. The arrangement and construction of double speed gear for spinning mules
substantially as illustrated in the accompanying drawings and hereinbefore
described.
Dated this 13th day of December 1890.
CLERK & MARKS,
13, Temple Street, Birmingham, Agents for Applicant.