IMPROVED MACHINERY FOR WINDING, SPINNING, DOUBLING, AND TWISTING SILK AND OTHER MATERIALS
Year: 1878

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Alexander Melville Clark, of 53, Chancery Lane, in the
County of Middlesex, Patent Agent, for the Invention of "IMPROVED
MACHINERY FOR WINDING, SPINNING, DOUBLING, AND TWISTING SILK AND
OTHER MATERIALS." A communication from abroad by Réné Leroux, of
Paris, France.
Sealed the 19th July 1878, and dated the 25th January 1878.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Alexander Melville Clark at
the Office of the Commissioners of Patents on the 25th January 1878.
.85
ALEXANDER MELVILLE CLARK, of 53, Chancery Lane, in the County of Middlesex,
Patent Agent.
IMPROVED MACHINERY FOR WINDING, SPINNING, DOUBLING, AND
TWISTING SILK AND OTHER MATERIALS." [A communication from abroad by Réné
Leroux, of Paris, France.]
This Invention relates to an improved machine for performing the several opera-
tions of winding, cleaning, spinning, doubling, and twisting silk, for which as many
different machines have hitherto been required. Besides combining these several
machines in one, the machine turns out six or seven times as much work, yields a
better product with less waste, and requires less skilled labour than the separate
machines in ordinary use.
The Invention is illustrated in the accompanying Drawings, in which,-
Figure 1 shows a perspective view of the entire machine.
Figure 2 is a perspective view of the gearing for transmitting motion to the
bobbins.
Figure 3 is a front view, and Figure 4 a plan of the machine.
Figure 5 shows a detail.
The same letters of reference are used for the same parts in all the Figures.
A, swift; B, cleaner; C, glass pin to prevent the silk thread entering the cleaner
too far; D, glass guide, eye, or twizzle on a bar E, having a lateral traverse for dis-
tributing the silk equally on the bobbins F; G, bobbins for spinning and doubling
1071

page_text: the silk; H, glass hook, through which the silk threads are led to be doubled; I,`
stop motion; J, glass guide; K, L, bobbins on which the silk is wound after being
doubled; M, flyer; O, bobbin upon which the twisted silk is wound; P, cloth-covered
cylinder turning the bobbins O, K, by frictional contact, and smoothing and
equalising the silk; Q, bar, also receiving a lateral traverse for winding the silk
obliquely and equally over the length of the bobbins; R, spindles of bobbins G; S,
spindle of bobbin L; T, bar carrying the stop motion: 1; Ú, leather washer on the
boss of flyer M; V, flexible steel wires.
Motion is transmitted from wheel a by a band b to' pulley c and drum d, thence
by cords e, f, g, to the bobbins G, G, and L, the two former being rotated to the left,
and the latter to the right. The pulley h by a band i drives pulley j, and with it
a conical wheel 1, which drives by frictional contact the pulley k on spindle m
carrying the bobbin F. The shaft of pulley j also carries a cam n, which imparts a
to-and-fro motion to bars E, Q. The small pulley o, driven by wheel d, imparts
motion by a band p to pulley q, which turns the cloth-covered cylinder P; the
shaft of the latter drives a small pulley r, whose band s drives a pulley 't, the pulleys
t, j, working in unison through bands.i, s.
The following is the action of the machine:-The winding is done in the usual
way, the raw silk being placed on a swift. A passed through the cleaner B, and
wound on to the bobbin F mounted on a spindle; this bobbin when filled is placed
upon one of the spindles R. The cleaner B is composed of two metal plates clamped
more or less tightly together by a binding screw 1); these plates, which are from
3 to 3 inches in depth, are covered on both sides with cloth, so as to remove all
knots and irregularities from the silk as it passes upwards through the whole
length of the cleaner. This device replaces the four or five cleaners now used, which
serve principally as drags and guides for the silk, and which tend to weaken and
expose it too long to the air, whereas in this machine the silk passes directly from
the swift A through cleaner B to the bobbin F. A glass pin C is passed trans-
versely through the cleaner to prevent the thread from entering too far and,
becoming broken or frayed by contact with the adjusting screw D. After leaving
cleaner B the thread passes through the twizzle D' on bar E, and is wound evenly
upon the bobbin F, whose spindle m is slightly inclined from the horizontal, and
driven by band gearing t; j, through wheel 7 turning in frictional contact with the
conical pinion, the speed being so regulated that two bobbins F are filled whilst
the two bobbins G are being emptied. The bobbins filled at F are removed and
placed upon the spindles R, and the threads are led from the bobbins G, and crossed
beneath the glass hook H, and after being thus spun and doubled wound upon a
horizontal bobbin K.
"
By crossing the threads close up under the hook H the great advantage is gained
of winding off the threads from the spindles themselves, and thereby dispensing
with the use of flyers or wings in doubling threads, thus receiving their first
twist without the liability of being weakened, frayed, or injured by contact with
metal; thus, by the speed acquired, the threads winding themselves round the
spindles R, and crossing beneath the look H arrive at the bobbin K doubled, each
thread having received a separate double twist. The doubled threads pass through
the glass guide eye J on bar Q, by whose lateral traverse the silk is distributed
equally over the length of the bobbin.
The tension produced by the hook H tightens the thread, which effect is increased
by the friction of the cloth-covered cylinder P, and the thread rendered smoother.
At about an inch on each side of the hook H, upon the cross bar T, are placed two
steel wires I, which retain and break the remaining thread in case one of the two
should become broken, and thereby prevent waste. The two wires I are movable
in opposite directions to allow of the bobbins G being put on and off the spindles R.
The horizontal bobbin K is then removed, and placed upon the vertical spindle S,
as indicated by letter L, in order that the thread may be twisted. On the bobbin L
is placed a movable zinc disc or washer M, upon which is fixed a leather washer of
smaller diameter, and upon the washer M are fixed radially a number of highly

page_text: flexible steel wires, so as to slightly project beyond the washer M.
These wires
serve to direct and guide the thread while being twisted and until it is wound upon
the horizontal bobbin O at the top of the frame, the thread after being twisted
passing through a glass guide N on the bar Q, which by its lateral traverse distributes
the thread equally over the said bobbin O, where it is lastly equalised and smoothed
by the friction of cylinder P.
The flyer M is not liable to injure the thread, requires no lubrication, and may
be worked six or seven times faster than ordinary flyers without injury to the
thread.
The Invention is also applicable for gold and silver wire as well as silk.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent filed
by the said Alexander Melville Clark in the Great Seal Patent Office on the
24th July 1878.
ALEXANDER MELVILLE CLARK, of 53, Chancery Lane, in the County of Middlesex,
Patent Agent. "IMPROVED MACHINERY FOR WINDING, SPINNING, DOUBLING, AND
TWISTING SILK AND OTHER MATERIALS." A communication from abroad by Réné
Leroux, of Paris, France.
This Invention relates to an improved machine for performing the several
operations of winding, cleaning, spinning, doubling, and twisting silk, for which
as many different machines have hitherto been required. Besides combining these
several machines in one, the machine when running at the same speed turns out
six or seven times as much work, yields a finer, smoother, stronger, and better
twisted silk with four-fifths less waste, as the silk remains a much shorter time on
the bobbins, and is only exposed to the air just the time required for the various
operations. Moreover this improved machine requires less skilled labour than the.
separate machines in ordinary use.
*The Invention is illustrated in the accompanying Drawings, in which,―
Figure 1 shows a perspective view of the entire machine.
Figure 2 is a perspective view of the gearing for transmitting: motion to the·
bobbins.
Figure 3 is a front view, and Figure 4 a plan of the machine.
Figure 5 shows detail of stop motion.
The same letters of reference are used for the same parts in all the Figures.
A, swift; B, cleaner; C, glass pin to prevent the silk thread entering the cleaner.
too far; D, binding screw for regulating the pressure of the cleaner to suit the silk ;.
D', glass guide, eye, or twizzle on a bar E, having a lateral traverse for distributing
the silk equally on the bobbins F; G, bobbins and spindles for spinning and
doubling the silk; H, glass hook, through which the silk threads are led to be
doubled; I, stop motion; J, glass guide; K, L, bobbins on which the silk is wound
after being doubled; M, flyer; N, glass guide; O, bobbin upon which the. twisted.

page_text: silk is wound; P, cloth covered cylinder turning the bobbins O, K, by frictional
contact, and smoothing and equalising the silk; Q, bar, also receiving a lateral
traverse for winding the silk obliquely and equally over the length of the bobbins;
R, spindles of bobbins G; S, spindle of bobbin L; T, bar carrying the stop motion I;
U, leather washer on the boss of flyer M; V, flexible steel wires.
The driving gear consists of a wheel a, from which motion is transmitted by a
band b to pulley c and drum d, thence by cords e, f, g, to the bobbins G, G, and L,
the two former being rotated to the left, and the latter to the right. The pulley h,
by a band i, drives pulley j, and with it a conical wheel l, which drives by frictional
contact the pulley on spindle m carrying the bobbin F. The shaft of pulley j
also carries a cam n, which imparts to-and-fro motion to bars E, Q. The small
pulley o driven by wheel d imparts motion by a band p to pulley q, which turns
the cloth-covered cylinder P. The shaft of the latter drives a small pulley 1, whose
band & drives a pulley t, the pulleys t, j, working in unison through bands i, s.
The following is the action of the machine:-The winding is done in the usual
way, the raw silk being placed in a swift A, passed through the cleaner B, and
wound on to the bobbin F mounted on a spindle; this bobbin when filled is placed
upon one of the spindles R. The cleaner B is composed of two metal plates clamped
more or less tightly together by a binding screw D. These plates, which are from
about 3 to 3 1/2 inches in depth, are covered on both sides with cloth, so as to
remove all knots and irregularities from the silk as it passes upwards through the
whole length of the cleaner; this device replaces the four or five cleaners now used,
which serve principally as drags and guides for the silk, and which tend to weaken
the silk, and expose it too long to the air, whereas in this machine the silk passes
directly from the swift A through cleaner B to the bobbin F without needing any
other tension or guide. Moreover this device possesses the one great advantage to
be desiderated, viz., that it provides a more extended cleaning surface than when
four or more of the ordinary cleaners are used. A glass pin C is passed trans-
versely through the cleaner to prevent the thread from entering too far, and
becoming broken or frayed by contact with the adjusting screw D. After leaving
cleaner B the thread passes through the twizzle D¹ on bar E, and is wound evenly
upon the bobbin F, whose spindle m is slightly inclined from the horizontal, and
driven by band gearing t, j, through wheel turning in frictional contact with the
conical pinion k, the speed being so regulated that two bobbins F are filled whilst the
two bobbins G are being emptied. The bobbins filled at F are removed and placed
upon the spindles R, and the threads as they are led from the bobbins G are twisted
by the rotation of the said bobbins, and are crossed beneath the glass hook H, and
after being thus spun and doubled are wound upon a horizontal bobbin K.
By crossing the threads close up under the hook H the great advantage is gained
of drawing off the threads from the spindles themselves, and thereby dispensing.
with the use of flyers or wings in doubling the threads, thus receiving their first
twist without the liability of being weakened, frayed, or injured by contact with
metal; thus, by the speed acquired, the threads wind themselves round the spindles
R, and crossing beneath the hook H arrive at the bobbin K doubled, each thread
having received a separate double twist. The doubled threads pass through the
glass guide eye J on bar Q, by whose lateral traverse the silk is distributed equally
over the length of the bobbin K.
The tension produced by the hook H tightens the thread, which effect is increased
by the friction of the cloth-covered cylinder P, and the thread is thereby rendered
smoother. At about an inch on each side of the hook H, upon the cross bar T, are
placed two steel wires I, which retain and break the remaining thread in case one
of the two should become broken, and thereby prevent waste. The two wires I
are movable in opposite directions to allow of the bobbins G being put on and off
the spindles R; the horizontal bobbin K is then removed, and placed upon the
vertical spindle S, as indicated by letter L, in order that the thread may be twisted.
On the bobbin L is placed a movable zine disc or washer M, upon which is fixed a
leather washer of smaller diameter, and upon the washer M are fixed radially. a

page_text: number of highly flexible steel wires, so as to slightly project beyond the washer M ;
these wires serve to direct and guide the thread while being twisted, and until it is
wound upon the horizontal bobbin O at the top of the frame, the thread after being
twisted passing through a glass guide N on the bar Q, which by its lateral traverse
distributes the thread equally over the said bobbin O, where it is lastly smoothed
and equalised by the friction of cylinder P.
The flyer M is not liable to injure the thread, requires no lubrication, and may
be worked six or seven times faster than ordinary flyers without injury to the
thread.
The machine of this Invention is also applicable for gold and silver wire as well
as silk.
The Drawings show one set of parts only, but it will be understood that any.
number of spindles may be used.
Having described the nature of the said Invention, and the manner of performing
the same, I declare that what I claim as the Invention to be protected by the
herein-before in part recited Letters Patent is, the improved combined machinery
for winding, cleaning, spinning, doubling, and twisting silk and other materials at
one operation, substantially as shown and described.
In witness whereof, I, the said Alexander Melville Clark, have hereunto set
my hand and seal, this Twenty-fourth day of July, in the year of our Lord One
thousand eight hundred and seventy-eight.
Ar
DE
A. M. CLARK. (L.S.)