IMPROVEMENTS IN MACHINERY FOR PREPARING, SPINNING, AND DOUBLING COTTON AND MATERIALS." OTHER FIBROUS
Year: 1867

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Henry Higgins, of Salford, in the County of Lan-
caster, Machine Maker, and Thomas Schofield Whitworth, of the same
Place, Manager, for the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN MACHINERY
FOR PREPARING, SPINNING, AND DOUBLING COTTON AND
MATERIALS."
OTHER FIBROUS
Scaled the 23rd June 1868, and dated the 27th December 1867.
FROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Henry Higgins and
Thomas Schofield Whitworth at the Office of the Commissioners of
Patents, with their Petition, on the 27th December 1867.
We, HENRY HIGGINS, of Salford, in the County of Lancaster, Machine
Maker, and THOMAS SCHOFIELD WHITWORTH, of the same Place, Manager, do
hereby declare the nature of the said Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN
MACHINERY FOR PREPARING, SPINNING, AND DOUBLING COTTON AND OTHER FIBROUS
MATERIALS," to be as follows:-
Our Invention relates, firstly, to those carding engines in which a series of
flats is mounted upon a travelling chain, and consists in an arrangement
whereby the grinding of the flats is regulated by the surfaces which register
them when in operation for carding. The aforesaid surfaces are, as is well
known, turned over when being ground, and we propose to cause their regis-
[Price 8d.]

page_text: tering surfaces to travel in contact with a template or shaper, which elevates
or depresses the grinding roller accordingly as each card requires the removal
of more or less wire. The template or shaper we propose consists of revolving
curved teeth connected with the axis of the grinding roller. In such cards as
aforesaid but in which the flats travel back we employ a stripping roller for
clearing them, which roller also acts as a worker with the licker-in, and is
then stripped by the cylinder.
Secondly. We attach the chain which carries the flats to one side thereof
instead of to the middle as is usual.
1
Thirdly. Our Invention relates to carding engines, in which the flats are
moved forward and individually carried back. In machines of this class we
cause the flats to pass in contact with stripping and grinding surfaces, and we
propose to use a stripping and grinding arrangement similar to that for which
Letters Patent were granted to James Higgins and Thomas Schofield Whit-
worth, dated April 11th 1867, No. 1072.
Another part of our Invention relates to slubbing and roving frames, and
consists in methods of adapting the flyer to the spindle. For this purpose we
form a parallel tube upon the flyer which slips over the spindle and rests upon a
shoulder formed thereon. By another method we extend the collar or tube to
the top of the flyer which is provided with a portion of the spindle fitting into
the said tube or collar and forming a junction with the other portion of the
spindle so as to be coupled therewith when in operation. If necessary we
propose to adapt an ordinary fastening to prevent the flyer from rising.
Another part of our Invention relates to throstles for spinning and doubling,
and consists, firstly, in a method of adapting double rows of spindles and flyers
or rings and travellers. To accomplish this we mount them in the frame in
divisions, say four spindles with flyers or rings and travellers in each, and
provide them with centres of motion upon which they can be turned inde-
pendently of each other; when therefore a thread belonging to the back row
has to be pierced the division to which it belongs is turned sufficiently to
bring the thread in front and within the attendant's command. The spindles
may be driven by ordinary bands, but we propose to employ a friction surface
consisting of a series of cylinders, within which and in contact with the interior
periphery are rollers attached to the spindles.
Secondly. Our Invention relates to the "ring-and-traveller" system, and
consists in mounting the ring loosely in the rail for the purpose of allowing it
to revolve, and upon it we form a pulley driven from any part of the machine
through the medium of cones, friction surfaces, or other ordinary apparatus,

page_text: by which the speed may be varied and the necessary compensation made for
different weights of travellers.
Thirdly. Our Invention relates to machines for "wet doubling" and consists
in an arrangement whereby are are enabled to facilitate the cleaning of the
water trough. For this purpose we mount the said trough upon parts which
are capable of being lowered, and it may therefore when necessary be moved
away from the rollers in a vertical or diagonal direction.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent, filed
by the said Henry Higgins and Thomas Schofield Whitworth in the
Great Seal Patent Office on the 27th June 1868.
.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, we, HENRY
HIGGINS, of Salford, in the County of Lancaster, Machine Maker, and
THOMAS SCHOFIELD WHITWORTH, of the same Place, Manager, send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her Letters
Patent, bearing date the Twenty-seventh day of December, in the year of our
Lord One thousand eight hundred and sixty-seven, in the thirty-first year of
Her reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give and grant unto
us, the said Henry Higgins and Thomas Schofield Whitworth, Her special
license that we, the said Henry Higgins and Thomas Schofield Whitworth,
our executors, administrators, and assigns, or such others as we, the said
Henry Higgins and Thomas Schofield Whitworth, our executors, administra-
tors, 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 MACHINERY FOR PREPARING, SPINNING,
AND DOUBLING COTTON AND OTHER FIBROUS MATERIALS," upon the condition,
amongst others, that we, the said Henry Higgins and Thomas Schofield
Whitworth, by an instrument in writing under our 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 we, the said Henry Higgins and Thomas Schofield
Whitworth, do hereby declare the nature of our said Invention, and in what

page_text: manner the same is to be performed, to be particularly described and ascer-
tained in and by the following statement and accompanying Drawings, that is
to say:-
Our Invention relates, firstly, to those carding engines in which a series of flats
is mounted upon a travelling chain, and consists in an arrangement whereby the
grinding of the flats is regulated by the surfaces which register them when in
operation for carding. The aforesaid surfaces are, as is well known, turned
over when being ground, and we propose to cause these registering surfaces to
travel in contact with a template or shaper, which regulates the action of the
grinding roller, also in such carding engines as aforesaid we employ a roller
to strip the flats and to work with the licker-in in and main cylinder.
Another part of our Invention consisted, according to our Provisional
Specification, in attaching the chain which carries the flats to one side thereof
instead of to the middle, but since the filing of the said Specification we
have found that the arrangement would not be of practical utility and lay no
claim thereto. Also in the said Provisional Specification we described our
Invention as relating to carding engines, in which the flats are moved forward
and individually carried back, and we proposed in such cases to cause the
flats to pass in contact with stripping and grinding surfaces, but we now lay
no claim thereto.
Our Invention therefore relates, secondly, to slubbing and roving frames,
and consists in methods of adapting the flyer to the spindle.
Thirdly. Our Invention relates to throstles for spinning and doubling, and
consists, firstly, in a method of adapting double rows of spindles and flyers or
rings and travellers on the same side of the machine. To accomplish this we
mount them in the frame in divisions and provide these divisions with centres
of motion, upon which they can be turned independently of each other. For
driving the spindles we employ cylindrical friction surfaces in contact with the
interior periphery of which are rollers attached to the spindles.
The next part of our Invention, according to our Provisional Specification,
consisted in mounting the ring of the "ring-and-traveller" system loosely in
the rail for the purpose of allowing it to revolve, but now lay no claim
thereto.
Fourthly. Our Invention relates to machines for "wet doubling," and
consists in an arrangement whereby we are enabled to facilitate the cleaning
of the water trough. For this purpose we mount the said trough upon parts
which are capable of being lowered, and it may therefore when necessary be
moved away from the rollers. In the accompanying Drawing our first

page_text: improvement is shewn applied to a carding engine, Fig. 1, and in detached
views upon an enlarged scale at Figs. 2 and 3. The endless chain of flats is
at 1, constructed on the "Evan Leigh" or other such system, and they are
supposed to be driven in the usual manner; the arrows denote their course
and that of the main cylinder, but are not now to be regarded, they being
adapted to explain another part of our Invention hereafter to be described.
One of the flats is shewn in two end views at Figs. 4, 5, the former repre-
senting its position when carding and the latter when it is turned over upon
the usual bridge 2, and in which position it has to be ground. In order to
obtain the heeling of the flat it is caused, as is well known, to rest by means
of the part 3 upon the bend when in the carding position, but when it is
turned over the part 4 rests upon the supporting bridge. Now the object of
this part of our Invention is to use the surface 3 as a part to register the
position of the grinding roller, so that the wire of every flat as it passes
beneath the said roller will be ground equally in relation to the aforesaid
registering line 3, and this we accomplish in the following manner:-At 2,
Fig. 2, is the bridge over which the flats are caused to travel when they
are to be ground. To this bridge is bolted a bracket 5, which carries a shaft
6 provided with a toothed wheel 7 driven by teeth 8 formed on the flats. At
the other end of the shaft 6 is a spur wheel 9 taking into another 10 mounted
on a shaft 11, which carries at its other extremity a wheel provided with
inclines 12, which inclines rest successively upon the parts 3 of the flats 1,
being caused to roll on the flats by the movement communicated from the
flats through the medium of their teeth 8 to wheels 7, 9, 10. The shaft 11
is carried by a boss extending from a piece 13, which is mounted so as to be
capable of sliding upward or downward in the bracket 5, the toothed wheels 9
and 10 being so geared as to admit of those motions to a limited extent.
Upon the sliding piece 13 are bosses to which is bolted an arm 14 provided
with a socket, within which is situate a bearing 15 for the axis 16 of the
grinding roller 17, and the said bearing 15 may be adjusted upward or down-
ward by a set screw 18; but it will be seen from the above description that
as the grinding roller is carried by the piece 13, which also carries the inclines
12, it is supported by the parts 3 of the flats through the medium of the said
inclines. It being understood that the apparatus above described is repeated
on the other side of the machine the operation will be as follows:-In the
irst place the grinding roller is moved upward or downward by adjustment
of the said screws 18 accordingly as it is desired to remove more or less of
he wire from the flats, or for different diameters of grinding roller, and

page_text: As the flats are
moved forward as usual they impart motion through the medium of their
teeth 8 to the shaft 6 and consequently to the inclines 12, which are thus
caused to roll upon the surfaces 3, while they at the same time support the
grinding roller through the medium of the pieces 13 which carry the bearings of
the said roller, and the gearing is so arranged that the inclines 12 and surfaces 3
Each of the inclines 12 is of the same
move at the same surface speed:
rotatory motion is imparted to it by any ordinary means.
length as a surface 3 with the addition of a small portion answering to the
space between two flats, and it therefore follows. that during the operations
above described the inclines will successively roll on successively advancing
flats. The radial distance from the lowest part of an incline 12 to the highest
is equivalent to to the distance from 20 to 20°, Figs. 4, 5, and as the said radial
distance gradually decreases as it rolls up the surface 3 it follows that the
grinding roller will grind each succeeding flat parallel to the line 4 and
regulated by the surfaces 3 which register the positions of the flats when they
are in working position. Figs. 6, 7, 8, represent a modification of this part
of our Invention, and by means of which the gearing 9, 10, of the formerly
In this instance a series of holes
described arrangement is dispensed with.
19 is formed in the ends of the flats, so that the intervening metal forms
teeth, in gear with which is a wheel 20** mounted upon the axis 11 denoted
by a similar letter of reference in Figs. 2, 3, and upon the same axis are the
rotatory inclines 12, the whole together with the grinding roller 17 being
carried by the sliding piece 13 as above described, the only difference being
the method of imparting rotatory motion to the inclines 12.
Our second improvement, and relating also to the above-described known
arrangement of carding engine, is shewn at Fig. 1. The endless chain of
travelling cards is as before mentioned at 1, and at 21 is the licker-in,
between which we apply a stripping roller 22, and cause the main cylinder
and flats to move in the direction of the arrows. During the operation of
carding the roller 22 driven from any convenient part of the machine strips
the flats and brings the material taken therefrom into contact with the licker-
in. The strippings are thus carded between the roller and the licker-in,
and such portion of the cotton as is retained by the stripping roller is removed
by the main cylinder, with which it is also in connexion.
Fig. 9 shews our
The spindle is at
first improvement in flyers for slubbing and roving frames.
23 turning in a collar 24. To the flyer 25 is attached a tube 26 the lower
end of which rests upon an enlarged part 27 of the spindle.
and flyer 25 are provided with a cross pin 28 which when the flyer is placed
The tube 26

page_text: upon the spindle fits into a slot fórmed in the top of the spindle, and thus the
two parts are caused to revolve together
:
Our other improvement in flyers and spindles is shewn at Figs. 10, 11. In
this instance the collar or tube 29, in which the spindle revolves, is continued
upward to the arch of the flyer, and the spindle properly speaking, is discon-
tinued at 30. Upon the flyer is a part 31 which passes into the collar 29
and constitutes a continuation of the spindle with which it is united by a
flattened part 32 passing into a slit formed in the said spindle, as shown at
Fig. 1, and the whole therefore revolves together. By these modes of attaching
the spindle and flyer the necessity of driving the flyer on to the spindle after
doffing is obviated, and the operation of doffing is greatly facilitated.
Our improvements in throstles for spinning and doubling are shewn at
Figs. 12, 13, 14, Fig. 12 being a cross section of the machine, Fig. 13 a
plan of a portion of the lifting rail and other parts, and Fig. 14 an enlarged
view in section of one of the divisions of spindles. In Fig. 12 the spindles
are shewn on each side of the frame, but they are of course duplicates, and in
our description we shall refer to one side only, and also in the first instance
to one division or group of spindles. To the stationary framework of the
machine is attached a double rail 40, 40*, the part 40* of which is provided
with a bus through which a shaft 42 passes freely and rests thereon by
means of a lder 43; the shaft 42 at its upper part is again enlarged and
and is provided with a groove 44, within which is a feather projecting from a
boss 45 upon a disc 46 which is perforated for the reception of four rings 47,
471, 47, 473, each of such rings being provided with the usual traveller.
Beneath the disc 46 are prongs 48 extending from a rail 49, mounted so as
to be capable of sliding vertically in the framework, and provided at bottom
with a rack and pinion 50, by means of which the usual lifting motion for the
rings is obtained. The spindles are at 51 supported in bushes 52 and turning
in footsteps 53; the bushes 52 are carried by a disc 54 situate within a recess
formed in the rail 40 and extending from a tube 55 mounted fast upon the
shaft 42, which tube is also furnished with another disc 56 carrying the
footsteps 53. Upon the spindles 51 are placed bosses 57, provided with pro-
jecting pins for driving the bobbins 58, but a cop upon the bare spindle may
be formed if desired. Upon the spindles 51 are bosses 59, against which
rollers 60 are tightened by means of nuts 61 so as to make them fast with
the spindle, and these rollers have a covering 62 of leather or other such
material in contact with the internal periphery of a drum 63 mounted so as
to turn freely upon a neck 64 of the bush 41. The tin drum is shewn at 65,

page_text: but instead of communicating motion as in ordinary throstles to a spindle
direct it causes the drum 63 to rotate, and which then drives the spindles by
friction of contact with the rollers 60, and the said drum may therefore, so
far as regards the banding, be considered as a spindle, and in like manner
another drum 63* with its spindles is driven at the other side of the frame.
The creel and rollers, as shewn in the Drawing, are of the usual construction,
but we adopt a special arrangement of curl for guiding the threads to the
bobbins. These curls 64, 64*, are mounted upon the top of the shaft 42 and
are disposed at different levels, those in the front and answering to the rings
47, 47, being the highest, as seen in the Drawings at 64; these curls are
mounted upon joints which permit them to be moved out of the way of the
bobbin when doffing. In the foregoing description of the parts we have
alluded to one disc 46 and parts connected therewith only, the Drawing
(Fig. 13) shews three, and they are in like manner continued side by side in
the frame for any desired length, rotatory motion having been communicated
to the spindles by the means above described and to the rollers in the usual
way, and the lifting rail driven by means of the rack and pinion 50. The fingers
48 will raise or lower the disc 46 and consequently rings 47, the said disc
being prevented from turning on the shaft 42 by means of the key it carries
projecting into the slot 44, and thus the spinning or doubling will proceed as
usual. Should a thread leading to one of the front bobbins 47 or 47% of the
group require piecing up it may be done as it would be in an ordinary throstles;
but should one of the back row 471 or 473 require piecing then those in the
front would be in the way of that operation being performed, and the
attendant by means of a peg 54* projecting from the disc 54 turns the discs
54 and 56 and shaft 42 a quarter revolution, by which means also the disc
46 which is connected to the shaft by its key will also be turned, and thus
the rings 47, 471, 47, 473, will maintain their several positions in relation to
the spindles working therewith. Suppose it to have been the bobbin 47¹ which
required piecing up, then the operation above described would have brought
it into the position occupied by that shewn at 47, and it will therefore be in
the front row, and in like manner by turning the spindle &c. in the opposite
direction the bobbin 473 may be brought into the position of 472. When
however this turning of the spindles is effected the threads proceeding from the
rollers would be liable to become mingled, and it is to avoid this that the
above-described arrangement of curls is adopted, for as the front one is the
highest the thread carried by the back curl will pass beneath it.
Fig. 15 is a plan view of the front rollers and three groups of spindles, and

page_text: showing the courses the threads take when the bobbins, &c. are turned for
piecing-up an end broken in the back row. The centre division is in the
normal position. The right hand when 471 is brought to the front, and a
left hand 473 is brought to the front. The attendant when he desires to stop
a single spindle may place a fork with inclines on its upper side, as shewn
at 70, beneath the boss 57, by which means the roller 60 attached to the
spindle is raised out of frictional contact with the drum 63, and thus ceases
to revolve.
Our improvement in wet doubling frames is shewn at Fig. 16. The rollers
71, 72, are carried by bearings which are attached to the stationary frame-
work as usual; the said roller 72 projecting into the trough 73 after the
ordinary manner; but according to our Invention we mount the trough upon
bars, one of which is shown at 74, but there is a repetition of them at
intervals along the machine; these bars are capable of being moved upward
or downward in guides formed in the framework and are provided with
racks 75, in gear with which are pinions 76 mounted upon a shaft extending
the length of the machine, and this shaft on being turned at one end lowers
the trough 73 into the position shewn at the right-hand side of Fig. 16, and
in which it may be cleaned free from the obstruction of the roller 72. As
described the trough will be lowered vertically, but it may be moved at an
angle.
1
Having thus described and ascertained the nature of our said Invention
and the manner in which the same is to be performed, we desire it to be
understood that we claim, as secured to us under the above in part recited
Letters Patent,--
§
Firstly. As applied to the description of carding engine, illustrated at
Figs. 1 to 8, the use of the surface which registers the position of the flat
during the carding process as a line from which to determine the length of wire
taken from each flat during the operation of grinding; also the employ-
ment of a roller for stripping the flats and working with the licker-in and
the cylinder.
As applied to slubbing or roving frames we claim the methods described
in reference to Figs. 9, 10, 11, of applying the flyers to the spindles.
In reference to throstles upon the ring and traveller or flyer system we claim
mounting the spindles in double rows on one side of the machine and dividing
them into groups or sections, each group or section capable of being turned
bodily upon a centre; also the use of the internal periphery of a drum for
driving the spindles by friction.

page_text: As applied to "wet doubling" frames we claim mounting the water trough
30 that it may be lowered from the rollers.
In witness whereof, we, the said Henry Higgins and Thomas Schofield
Whitworth, have hereunto set our hands and seals, this Twenty-sixth
day of June, in the year of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and
sixty-eight.
THOMAS SCHOFIELD WHITWORTH. (L.S.)