IMPROVEMENTS IN THE METHOD OF AND APPARATUS FOR DOFFING THE DOBBINS FROM OFF THE SPINDLES AND REGULATING THE DRAG UPON THE YARN IN SPINNING, TWISTING, AND OTHER SIMILAR MACHINES."
Year: 1880

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Edward Denby, Clerk, Joseph Helliwell, Mason, William
Hillary, Mason, and Wilson Riley, Mechanic, all of Keighley, in the County
of York, for an Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN THE METHOD OF AND
APPARATUS FOR DOFFING THE DOBBINS FROM OFF THE SPINDLES AND
REGULATING THE DRAG UPON THE YARN IN SPINNING, TWISTING, AND OTHER
SIMILAR MACHINES."
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Edward Denby, Joseph
Helliwell, William Hillary, and Wilson Riley at the Office of the
Commissioners of Patents on the 26th January 1880.
EDWARD DENBY, Clerk, JOSEPH HELLIWELL, Mason, WILLIAM HILLARY, Mason,
and WILSON RILEY, Mechanic, all of Keighley, in the County of York.
"IMPROVEMENTS IN THE METHOD OF AND APPARATUS FOR DOFFING THE BOBBINS
FROM OFF THE SPINDLES AND REGULATING THE DRAG UPON THE YARN IN
SPINNING, TWISTING, AND OTHER SIMILAR MACHINES."
.
The object of our Invention is to arrange the spindles in spinning, twisting,
roving, and similar machines used in the manipulation of fibrous materials, in such
a manner that the bobbins when full of yarn or roving can be what is technically
termed "doffed" by mechanical means without having to disconnect the flyers, and
thus effect a great saving by being enabled to keep the machines in operation much
longer than can be accomplished when the machines are doffed in the usual
manner.
Our object is also to regulate the drag upon the yarn in such a manner that the
tension of the fibre in its travel from the front rollers to the spindles can be
adjusted to suit the varying circumstances and nature of the fibre that is being
manipulated.
-On the top of the lifter rods
shafts secured together. On
are secured a number of fixed
These shafts and spindles are
We accomplish our object in the following manner :-
we form journals in which are mounted a number of
these shafts are attached a number of bosses to which
spindles radiating from the centre of the said shafts.
capable of being revolved in the aforesaid journals, and are held in position by
means of a catch that fits into a notch or indentation formed in the periphery of a
disc that is secured on to one of the said shafts. The number of indentations cut
LD 633

page_text: in the periphery of the aforesaid disc correspond with the number of radiating
spindles that complete a circle. Each of the aforesaid spindles is fitted with a tube
or casing which is free to revolve thereon, and is kept in position by means of a
cap which is in connection with the spindle boss.
The flyers are suspended to a bar that extends the length of the machine which
substitutes the ordinary wire board. The fibre after passing between the front
rollers is conducted through the centre of the flyers to the bobbins that are on the
tubes in position for spinning, and when the bobbins are full of yarn ready to be
"doffed "the frame or machine is stopped and the lifter lowered such a distance
that the tops of the tubes on the spindles are clear of the bottoms of the flyers; the
shafts resting in the journals at the top of the lifter spindles are then turned such a
distance that the next series of tubes and spindles on which the empty bobbins
have been placed are brought to the top in a perpendicular position, and secured by
placing the catch in the corresponding notch in the periphery of the disc before
mentioned. The lifter is then raised, and by partly revolving the cylinder the
yarn or roving is wrapped round the empty bobbins; the threads between the full
and empty bobbins are then cut by means of a series of knives or shears, after
which the machine is ready to be put in motion for manipulating the fibre. The
lifter rises and lowers the shafts and spindles, and builds the yarn on to the
bobbins.
When the first named spindles and tubes containing the full bobbins arrive at a
certain angle with the lifter rods, the bobbins slide off the tubes and fall on to an
endless revolving cloth which convey the same and deliver them into a skep placed
in a suitable position.
In order to keep the tubes in position on the fixed spindles and to regulate the
drag we form at the bottom of each tube a projecting flange at right angles to the
centre line of the spindle. Over this flange we place a cap which screws on to a
projection formed on the before mentioned boss; between the cap and tube flange
we place a flexible washer which forms a cushion between the same.
It will be easily understood that by screwing and adjusting the pressure of the
cap on the before mentioned flexible washer the power required to revolve the
tube on the fixed spindle will be in proportion to the pressure of the cap on the
said washer, and the drag upon the fibrous material that is being manipulated is
also increased or diminished in proportion to the before mentioned pressure, which
can be adjusted to suit the strength and quality of the fibre that is passing through
the machine.
In order to retain the caps in the position desired we place a spring to each cap
in such a position that the same passes against the underside of the cap, and
thereby locks or prevents it from turning, and thus increasing or diminishing the
pressure on the flexible washer, as the case may be.

page_text: SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent filed
by the said Edward Denby, Joseph Helliwell, William Hillary, and Wilson
Riley in the Great Seal Patent Office on the 26th July 1880.
EDWARD DENBY, Clerk, JOSEPH HELLIWELL, Mason, WILLIAM HILLARY, Mason,
and WILSON RILEY, Mechanic, all of Keighley, in the County of York.
"IMPROVEMENTS IN THE METHOD OF AND APPARATUS FOR DOFFING THE BOBBINS
FROM OFF THE SPINDLES AND REGULATING THE DRAG UPON THE YARN IN
SPINNING, TWISTING, AND OTHER SIMILAR MACHINES."
The object of our Invention is to arrange the spindles in spinning, twisting,
roving, and similar machines used in the manipulation of fibrous materials in such
a manner that the bobbins when full of yarn or roving can be what is technically
termed " doffed "by mechanical means without having to disconnect the flyers, and
thus enable machines to be kept in operation much longer than when the doffing
is effected by hand, as at present.
Our object is also to regulate the drag upon the yarn in such a manner that the
tension on the fibre in its travel from the front rollers to the spindles can be
adjusted to suit the varying circumstances and nature of the fibre that is being
manipulated.
Such being the objects of this Invention, we will now describe the particulars
thereof by the following description, aided by the annexed Drawings, in which
Figure 1 represents the front elevation of such portions of a spinning frame fitted
with our improvements as are required to make clear our Invention; Figure 2 is a
transverse sectional elevation of the same; Figure 3 is an enlarged view of one set
or circle of spindles fitted with tubes, one of which is shown in section; Figure 4
is a cross section through the flyer rail and centre of wharl, shewing the manner in
which we suspend the wharls and flyers; Figure 5 is an enlarged front view of our
arrangement of shears; Figure 6 is an end view of same; Figure 7 is a front
elevation of our improvement as may be applied to a roving frame; Figure 8 is a
side elevation of the same; the dotted lines shew the position of spindles and
tubes when the machine is being doffed; and Figure 10 is a front elevation of
disc used for the purpose of securing the spindles in spinning machines in a
perpendicular position. In all the Figures similar parts are represented by similar
letters.
At
The lifter rods A are connected to the ordinary lifters in the usual manner.
the top of rods A we form journals in which are mounted a number of shafts B that
are secured together by any ordinary method. On these shafts B are attached a
number of bosses C, the number varying according to the pitch of flyers and length
of frame. To each of the bosses C are secured a number of fixed spindles C¹
radiating from the centre of shafts B, each spindle being covered by a tube D that
is free to revolve thereon, and is kept in position on the spindle by means of
cap D¹ which is screwed on to projections on boss C; the tubes D and caps D' are
more fully described hereafter.
In place of the ordinary wire board we substitute a bar E that extends the
length of the machine. The flyers F rest upon and are carried by tubes G that
pass through the centre of each flyer head and wharl H. The wharls are revolved
by ordinary bands in connection with cylinder C, and the top of each wharl is
recessed at H for the purpose of lubricating tube G, to which communication is
made by small holes from the bottom of recess H'. This recess is partly covered by.
a thin plate which retains the oil and prevents the same being thrown off by the
centrifugal force of the revolving wharl. The flange G¹ at bottom of tube G is
recessed also for the purpose of preventing the oil dropping on to the yarn on the
bobbins on tubes D.
The fibre after passing between the front rollers is conducted through the hole in
tube G to the revolving flyers and spun on to the bobbins on vertical tubes D.

page_text: When the bobbins are full of yarn, ready to be " doffed," the frame is stopped and
the lifter lowered to such a distance that the tops of the vertical tubes D are clear
of the bottoms of the flyers F. The shafts B are then turned in the journals so
that the next series of spindles on which the empty bobbins have been placed are
brought to the top in a perpendicular position, and thereby secured by placing
catch J in the top notch or indentation formed in the periphery of disc K, which is
secured on to shaft B. The lifter is then reversed and the shafts B and attach-
ments raised, and by partly revolving cylinder C the yarn from the full bobbins is
wrapped round the empty bobbins, now in a vertical position; the threads of yarn
between the full and empty bobbins are then cut by means of a series of knives or
shears which are constructed and actuated somewhat in the following manner :-
The bar L extends the length of the frame and is carried by suitable brackets; to
this bar are attached, opposite to each circle of spindles and tubes D, a pair of shear
blades M and M³, each blade being connected to small brackets N, the blade M to
the top portion and the blade M to the bottom portion. The brackets are secured
to rod O, running the length of the frame, and at one end of this rod we attach a
lever O', which when actuated draws the rod O in the direction of arrow and brings
the blades M and M' of the shears together and severs the threads of yarn, after
which the machine is ready to be put in motion for manipulating the yarn.
When the lever 0¹ is released the spring S at the end of rod O draws the
same into its original position, and opens the blades of shears ready for cutting the
yarn at the next doffing.
When the last mentioned bobbins are full of yarn the operation is repeated, and
another series of empty bobbins brought to the top, the first mentioned full bobbins
will have arrived at such an angle, shewn in Figure 2 at V, that they will slide off
the tubes and fall on to an endless revolving cloth R, which cloth will convey and
deliver then into a skep placed in a suitable position to receive them.
In order to keep the tubes D in position on the fixed spindles, and at the same
time regulate the drag, we form at the bottom of each tube a flange P, true with
the axis of the tube. Over this flange we place a cap D' which screws on to a
projection of boss C, and is held in position by means of spring P¹ attached to the
boss and pressing against the underside of cap D¹. Between the top surface of
flange P and the underside of cap D¹ we place a flexible washer Q which forms a
cushion between the same. It will be easily understood that by screwing and
adjusting the pressure of the cap D¹ and compressing the flexible washer the
power required to revolve tube D on the fixed spindle C¹ will be in proportion to
the pressure of the cap D' on the said flexible washer, and the drag upon the
fibrous material that is being manipulated will be increased or diminished in pro-
portion to the pressure that is put upon the said washer by the cap. These caps
can be regulated to suit the strength and quality of the fibre that is passing
through the machine.
Our improvements are also applicable to machines for twisting yarns, and the
modus operandi for carrying out our Invention is substantially the same as that
already described for spinning.
In regulating the drag in roving frames we construct the spindles, tubes, and
caps in the same manner as those described for spinning, but instead of having a
revolving shaft at the top of lifter rods A fitted with bosses having radiating
spindles we mount a similar shaft at the top of the lifter spindles, but only with one
set of spindles, which are in a vertical position when the machine is in motion, and
when the bobbins are full the catch J is raised out of notch in disc K. The
full bobbins and spindles can then be drawn towards the operator, as shewn in
dotted lines, and doffed in the usual manner.
Having now described our Invention, and the manner in which the same may be
carried into effect, we wish it to be understood that we do not confine ourselves to
the precise details herein described and illustrated, as the same may be varied
without departing from the characteristic nature of our Invention, but what we
claim as our Invention is,-

page_text: The arrangement of shaft B in combination with bosses C and radiating spindles
that are encased by tubes D, substantially in the manner and for the purposes
herein before described and illustrated by the accompanying Drawings.
The adjustment of the drag on the yarn and roving by means of cap D¹
compressing the flexible washer Q, substantially as described.
The arrangement of a recess in top of wharl H, substantially in the manner and
for the purposes herein described and illustrated by the accompanying Drawings.
The arrangement of shears, substantially in the manner and for the purposes
herein described.
In witness whereof, I, the said Wilson Riley, for and on behalf of myself and
the said Edward Denby, Joseph Helliwell, and William Hillary, have
hereunto set my hand and seal, this Thirteenth day of July, in the year
of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and eighty.
Witness,
JOHN WAUGH,
29, Tyrrel Street,
Bradford.
WILSON RILEY. (LS)