IMPROVEMENTS IN THE REELING OR WINDING OF COCOONS, AND IN THE MANUFACTURE OF SILK THREADS, AND IN MACHINERY AND APPARATUS FOR THESE PURPOSES
Year: 1855

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to William Prior Sharp and William Weild, both of
the City of Manchester, in the County of Lancaster, Silk Manufac-
turers, for the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN THE REELING OR WINDING
OF COCOONS, AND IN THE MANUFACTURE OF SILK THREADS, AND IN MACHINERY
AND APPARATUS FOR THESE PURPOSES."-Partly a communication.
Sealed the 22nd April 1856, and dated the 3rd November 1855.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said William Prior Sharp,
and William Weild at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with.
their Petition, on the 3rd November 1855.
We, WILLIAM PRIOR SHARP and WILLIAM WEILD, both of the City of Man-
chester, in the County of Lancaster, Silk Manufacturers, do hereby declare the
nature of the said Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN THE REELING OR WINDING
OF COCOONS, AND IN THE MANUFACTURE OF SILK THREADS, AND IN MACHINERY AND
APPARATUS FOR THESE PURPOSES," (to be as follows):-
.Firstly, it relates to a mode of winding double cocoons, which will not wind.
continuously in the ordinary manner on account of the filaments being entangled.
with each other. The method consists in first placing a quantity of such.
cocoons in a vessel containing water at a high temperature, and passing the
filaments from a number of them through an eye to bring them together, and.
thence onward to a reel or surface upon which the thread formed by their

page_text: combination is to be wound. The filaments from the cocoons break frequently,
but seldom all at once, and consequently the places of those which break must
be supplied by others. This is done by keeping a number of cocoons in con-
tact with those the filaments from which have not broken; so that their filaments
may catch up and take with them the filaments of the cocoons in contact, which
will in turn take others, and thus maintain the continuity of the thread. The
skill of the operator in this method of winding cocoons (which will be acquired
by practice) consists in removing the cocoons, the filaments of which have
broken, away from those which have not broken, to one side of the vessel, by a
glass rod or other instrument, and in agitating them in contact with each other
to disentangle their filaments, and in again bringing them in contact with the
winding cocoons, so that their filaments may be caught up to supply the places
of the filaments which have broken down. As only one thread is attended to
by one operator, the combination of the filaments is effected by the following
arrangements:-Two lightly constructed reels or swifts are placed on suitable
axes at a distance, asunder, and in a position one above the other, and over the
eye in which the filaments of the cocoons are gathered together, from which
they pass; first, over the upper reel or swift, then under the lower one, the
portion of the thread or combined filaments coming from the lower swift or
reel being brought in contact with the portion going to the upper one, and
here crossed to give the necessary contact to cause them to unite and adhere
together. From this point the thread thus combined passes through cyes or
guides, which conduct it to the reel or surface upon which it is to be wound.
Secondly, our Invention relates to certain arrangements in reeling cocoons,
which, when one of the sets of filaments breaks in passing on to the recl, will
cause the other set of filaments at the same moment to cease from winding
on to it. These arrangements consist in placing guides over which the
threads pass in such position in relation to the reels; that when the threads are
in a straight line, between the guide and the top of the reels, they will miss
the sides of them. This will be the case when the guides are placed suffi-
ciently on one side of a line from the reels at a right angle to their axis.
With this arrangement the threads are both caused to wind on the reels by
being crossed round each other, which crossing keeps them against the sides
of pegs conveniently fixed to the traverse bar that spreads them evenly upon
the reels. When one of the threads breaks the other is instantly liberated,
and as it immediately assumes a direction which is oblique to the axis of the
reels, it passes off on one side of them, a small portion winding round their
axis till they are stopped.
Thirdly, our Invention relates to a method of winding and preparing silk to.

page_text: be spun into thread having the character of organzine or tram. It consists
in winding direct from the cocoons on to bobbins, combining with the operation
the method of "crossing" to unite the filaments of the cocoons together. To
accomplish this purpose for organzine, two bobbins are placed on the same
axis or spindle, and the threads are spread upon them by a suitable traverse
motion; and to stop the rotation of the bobbin when one of the threads
breaks, a detecting apparatus is used,, or arrangements are made for this
purpose similar to those referred to under the preceding division of our Inven-
tion. In preparing silk to be spun into "tram," the two sets of united
filaments from the cocoons are separated after being crossed, and then are
brought together again and wound on to one and the same bobbin, which is
then ready to be taken to the throwing mill to receive the requisite twist or
throw for "tram" thread.
Fourthly, our Invention relates to certain arrangements in machines for
winding silk on to bobbins, by which the tension upon the threads can be
readily adjusted, which arrangements consist in passing the threads over rods
to form with each, other an angle, the increase or diminution of which (accom-
plished by making one of the rods moveable on an axis) will add to or diminish
.the tension on the threads.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent, filed
by the said William Prior Sharp and William Weild in the Great Seal
Patent Office on the 2nd May 1856..
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, we, WILLIAM
PRIOR SHARP and WILLIAM WEILD,. both of the City of, Manchester, in the
County of Lancaster, Silk Manufacturers, send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her Letters
Patent, bearing date the Third day of November, in the year of our Lord.
One thousand cight hundred. and fifty-five, in the nineteenth year of Her
reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give and grant unto us,
the said William Prior Sharp and William. Weild, Her especial license that
we, the said. William Prior Sharp and.William Weild, our executors, adminis-
trators, and assigns, or such others as we, the said William Prior Sharp and
William Weild, our 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,

page_text: the Channel Islands, and Isle of Man, an Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN
THE REELING OR WINDING OF COCOONS, AND IN THE MANUFACTURE OF SILK THREADS,
AND IN MACHINERY AND APPARATUS FOR THESE PURPOSES," (part of which was
communicated to us by a foreigner residing abroad,) upon the condition
(amongst others) that we, the said William Prior Sharp and William Weild,
by an instrument in writing under our hands and seals, should particularly
describe and ascertain the nature of our 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 we, the said William Prior Sharp and William
Weild, do hereby declare the nature of our said Invention, and in what
manner the same is to be performed, to be particularly described and
ascertained in and by the following statement and accompanying Drawings
(that is to say)—
Our Invention relates, firstly, to a mode of winding double cocoons, which
will not wind continuously in the ordinary manner on account of the filaments
being entangled with each other. The method consists in first placing a quantity
of such cocoons in a vessel containing water at an high temperature, and passing
the filaments from a number of them through an eye to bring them together, and
thence onward to a reel or surface upon which the thread formed by their
combination is to be wound. The filaments from the cocoons break frequently,
but seldom all at once, and consequently the places of those which break must
be supplied by others; this is done by keeping a number of cocoons in contact
with those the filaments from which have not broken, so that their filaments
may catch up and take with them the filaments of the cocoons in contact,
which will in turn take others, and thus maintain the continuity of the thread.
The skill of the operator in this method of winding cocoons (which will be
acquired by practice) consists in removing the cocoons, the filaments of which
have broken away from those which have not broken, to one side of the vessel,
by a glass rod or other instrument, and in agitating them in contact with each
other to disentangle their filaments, and in again bringing them in contact
with the winding cocoons, so that their filaments may be caught up to supply
the places of the filaments which have broken down. As only one thread is
attended to by one operator, the combination of the filaments is effected by the
following arrangements: Two lightly constructed reels or swifts are placed
on suitable axes at a distance asunder, and in a position one above the other,
and over the eye in which the filaments of the cocoons are gathered together,
from which they pass first over the upper reel or swift, then under the lower

page_text: one, the portion of the thread or combined filaments coming from the lower
swift or reel being brought in contact with the portion going to the upper one,
and here crossed to give the necessary contact to cause them to unite and
adhere together. From this point the thread thus combined passes through
eyes or guides, which conduct it to the reel or surface upon which it is to be
wound. This part of our Invention is illustrated in the Drawings annexed
hereto by Fig. 1 and 2.
Fig. 1 is a side elevation of our improved cocoon reeling apparatus, being a
copy of the Figure marked 11, and shewn in the Drawings annexed to the
Specification of the Patent granted to us, numbered 1963, and dated the
Eighth day of September, in the year of our Lord One thousand eight hundred
and fifty-four, the only difference being in the mechanism for winding double
cocoons. a is a cross stay attached to the frame or side standards A of the
machine; b, a bracket secured to it, having pins fixed in it to form the axes of
the small reels c & c', constructed of tin and wire, as shewn. The reels are
perfectly free to rotate. The filaments from the cocoons after leaving the eye s
pass over the upper reel c and under the lower reel c¹; they are then passed
or crossed as many times round the filaments going to the upper reel as is
necessary to give the required friction, and then pass through the eye s¹ and
the guide fin the traverse bar, and on to the reel or swift h, one reel only
being required on the shaft h¹ in reeling double cocoons by this method.
Fig. 2 shews a front view of the small reels c and c', the bracket b, and cross
Those parts of the machine shewn by Fig. 1 which have not been
alluded to, are fully described in the Specification of the Patent herein-
before mentioned.
bar a.
.
Secondly, our Invention relates to certain arrangements in reeling cocoons,
which, when one of the sets of filaments breaks in passing on the reel, will
cause the other set of filaments at the same moment to cease from winding on
to it. These arrangements consist in placing guides, over which the threads
pass in such position in relation to the reels, that when the threads are in a
straight line between the guide and the top of the reels, they will miss the
sides of them. This will be the case when the guides are placed sufficiently
'on one side of the line from the reels at a right angle to their axis. With
this arrangement the threads are both caused to wind on the reels by being
crossed round each other, which crossing keeps them against the sides of
pegs fixed in the traverse bar that spreads them evenly upon the reels. When
one of the threads breaks the other is instantly liberated, and as it immediately
assumes a direction which is oblique to the axis of the reels, it passes off on
"one side of them, a small portion winding round their axis till they are stopped.

page_text: "
pass on
This is illustrated in the Drawings by Fig. 3 and 4 Diagrams; h and h*, two
reels, on each of which a set of combined filaments is wound. f and f*
represent pegs in the traverse bar, for spreading the combined filaments evenly
on the reels; s¹ and s*, eyes or guides. The sets of combined filaments passing
from each eye or guide are crossed round each other at t in the manner shewn
by the Diagram, Fig. 4. The combined, filaments from the eye §1
to the swift h, and those from the other eye s¹x to the swift h*. Should the
sets of combined filaments not be crossed, they would respectively assume
the position shewn by dotted line; therefore, should one of the sets of combined
filaments, break when crossed in the manner described, the other will pass off
the side of the reel (as it is not held on that side by the pegs in the traverse
bar), and will thus cease to wind on it..
Thirdly, our Invention relates to a method of winding and preparing silk to
be spun into thread, having the, character of organzine or tram. It consists in
winding direct from the cocoons on to bobbins, combining with the operation
the method of crossing" to unite the filaments of the cocoons together. To
accomplish this purpose for organzine, two bobbins are placed on the same axis
or spindle, and the threads are spread upon them by a suitable. traverse motion,
and to stop the rotation of the bobbin when one of the threads breaks, a
detecting apparatus is used,, or arrangements are made for the purpose similar
to those referred to under the preceding, division of our Invention.
In preparing silk to be spun into." tram," the two, sets, of united filaments
from the cocoons are separated after being, crossed, and then are brought
together again and wound on to one and the same bobbin, which is then ready
to be taken to the throwing mill to receive the requisite twist or throw for
"tram thread. The mechanism for winding filaments from cocoons com-
bined, by the method known as," crossing", on to bobbins, for the purposes
herein before. described, is explained by Fig. 5 and 6. The first is a side sec-
tional elevation, shewing the trough for the cocoons, and the connected apparatus
and the mechanism for actuating the bobbins on which the combined filaments
are to be wound; the latter; (Fig. 6), a front elevation of the last-mentioned
mechanism. The mechanism; shewn by these two Figures corresponds to that
shewn by Figs. 11, and 12.in the Drawings annexed to Specification of the
Patent granted to us, and herein-before referred to. The cocoon trough and
connected apparatus is the same, and the crossing of the sets of filaments is
effected in the same manner.
The mechanism for actuating the bobbins is arranged as follows:-a' are the
bobbins,, placed on the ends of a spindle or axis having bearings in a bracket
secured to the top of the standard or frame A; b, warf or pulley fixed on the

page_text: spindle, motion being imparted to the warf by a band passing round.it; and a
grooved pulley h on a shaft h', 'one end of which is placed in a bearing.in one
standard, and the other end in a bearing formed by a bracket fixed to the
adjoining standard. This shaft h¹ has fixed on it a pulley g³, that rests upon ai
pulley 9, secured on the main shaft e¹, the pulley. 92 driving the pulley g³ by:
the friction of contact. When the rotation of the bobbins is to be stopped;}
that end of the shaft h¹ on which the pulley g³ is fixed is lifted till it is out of
contact with the pulley g; this is done by the handle:k, having its fulcrum' on?
a stud ; this handle has a vertical arm, having an incline-formed on "it
that lifts up the end of the shaft h¹ when the handle is raised, the end. of
the shaft resting when lifted in a notch formed in the incline' piece, thati
retains the handle in that position till forced down. f is the traverse .bar
that spreads the combined filaments on the bobbins; it is actuated by' a' cam
in the usual manner. It will be seen that any convenient number of sets!of:
bobbins may be combined in one frame; all driven from one main-shaft (e¹);s
and having one traverse bar f common to the whole of them.
When one of the sets of combined filaments breaks; the other set, may'be
prevented from winding on to its bobbin by the same arrangements as those
described in the second division of this Specification: supposing the spindle and
bobbins to take the position of the swifts and their axis.shewn in the Drawing
in Fig. 3, with such arrangements when one thread breaks, the other will pass:
off the end of the bobbin and spindle; but in this arrangement the: bobbins>
employed should be made without heads, or with one head only. For tram
threads, where both sets of combined filaments go on to the same bobbin, a
detecting apparatus may be used, similar to that, well known in machines for
doubling silk threads, to stop the rotation of the spindle, by catching the teeth
of a ratchet wheel 'fixed' on it when one of the threads breaks.
Fourthly, our Invention relates to certain arrangements in machines for
winding silk on to bobbins by which the tension upon the threads can be.
readily adjusted, which arrangements consist in passing the threads over
rods to form with each other an angle; the increase or diminution of which
(accomplished by making one of the rods moveable on an axis) will add to
or diminish the tension of the threads. This is illustrated by the Drawings in
Fig. 7, a sectional elevation. A, frame of the machine; h, brackets carrying the
shaft, upon which the drums are fixed that rotate the bobbins g, upon which
the threads are wound; k, traverse bar; and 1, guide by which the threads are
spread on the bobbins; m, a rod extending the whole length of the machine
over which the threads pass; n represents the position of the bobbins or the
swifts from which the threads are wound. The arrangements for regulating

page_text: the tension of the threads going on to the bobbins g are formed by the.rod m!,.
which extends from end to end of the rod m, and is carried by arms m²,
centered on the rod m, upon which the arms are moveable in the arc' shewn
by dotted line. The thread passes; from the bobbin or swift, as shewn by the
line m. By moving the rod m' towards the position shewn in dotted line
the tension on the threads is increased.
Having now particularly described the nature of our Invention, and the
modes of carrying it into effect, we desire it to be understood that we claim as
Your Invention,-.
"
Firstly, the system or method of winding or reeling double cocoons, herein-
*before described as the first part of our Invention.
Secondly, we claim as our Invention in reeling or winding cocoons, the
arrangements which, when one of the sets of filaments breaks.in:passing on
to the reel or swift, will cause the other set of filaments at the same moment
to cease winding on to its reel or swift, described as the second part of our
Invention.
Thirdly, we claim as our Invention the system or method of winding and
preparing silk to be spun into threads having the character of organzine or
tram thread, described as the third part of our Invention.
Fourthly, and lastly, we claim as our Invention in machines for winding
silk on to bobbins, arrangements for regulating the tension on the. threads,
described as the fourth part of our Invention..
V
In witness whereof, we, the said William Prior Sharp and William
Weild, have hereunto set our hands and seals, this First day of
May, in the year of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and
fifty-six.