Improvements in Stop Motions for Machines used in Preparing Flax and other Fibres for Spinning.
Year: 1892

page_text: Date of Application, 15th July, 1892
Complete Specification Left, 30th Mar., 1893-Accepted, 2nd June, 1893
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Stop Motions for Machines used in Preparing Flax
and other Fibres for Spinning.
We, MALCOM MACGREGOR GREEVES, of The Forth River Mills, Falls Road,
Belfast, in the County of Antrim, Ireland, Manager, and THOMAS LUCAS, of the
same place, Mechanic, do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as
follows:-
This invention relates primarily to the drawing frames used in the preparation
of flax but may also be applied to other machines in which the partly manu-
factured fibres in the form known as "slivers" are passed through machines for
the purpose of reducing and straightening the fibres. It is designed to provide
an efficient and reliable stop motion which will act to stop the machine not only
when one end breaks but also when an end becomes entangled and passes forward
with a knot or lump.
We construct a balanced or pivoted lever or tumbler of such a shape that when
the end falls upon it or comes in contact with it the friction or grip or the blow
of the end thereon draws it forward and a reciprocating device in the form of a
gridiron or of one notched bar sliding past another with which the lower end of
the pivoted tumbler engages when drawn forward and thereby stops the machine.
It is desirable that the pivoted tumbler should be made of such a shape that
while it will offer sufficient resistance to the sliver or fibre that comes in contact
with it to be overbalanced or drawn forward it will not injure or disarrange the
sliver. For this reason we prefer to make it of oblong shape with a narrow
tapered or V slit or groove in the upper end into which the broken end of the
sliver will fall or in which a knot or lump in the sliver will catch.
To give
additional resistance to the sliver one side of the tumbler which forms the
slit. may overlap the other. The upper end above the slit is hollowed or, curved
and the corners rounded off as may be found most desirable.
The pivoted tumbler is provided at its lower end with a projection or finger
below the pivot which when the tumbler falls engages with or comes in contact
with a reciprocating bar the motion of which is stopped or checked thereby
causing the stoppage of the whole machine.
The tumbler is pivoted to a supporting tube or bar preferably a tube by which
is supported a reciprocating bar formed with holes or notches in the face thereof
A second
corresponding with the projecting ends of the pivoted tumblers.
stationary bar provided with similar slots or notches is placed alongside the
reciprocating bar so that the holes in the two alternately hit and miss as the bar
slides to and fro. When the holes or notches in the two bars coincide the lower
end of the tumbler which has been already acted upon by the sliver can fall into
them and stop the motion of the reciprocating bar.
The pivot of the tumbler may either be placed horizontally or vertically and
the tumbler may be constructed with a stationary guide or leg acting with a
moving leg to form the slot into which the sliver falls. For thin or easily
stretched fibres I prefer to make the tumbler L shaped at the foot with a vertical
pivot so as to get more case of movement and greater leverage.
The reciprocating bar at one end is connected to a spring and at the other end
to an oscillating lever. The oscillating lever is actuated by a cam rotated on the
end of the frame by one of the moving parts thereof which at each revolution
moves the bar in one direction compressing or expanding the spring by which it is
moved back again. The spring may be compressed or expanded according to the
way it is mounted or attached but we prefer to insert it in a barrel or tube against

page_text: which the end of the reciprocating bar will abut and thereby compress it at each
movement.
The lever which moves the oscillating lever forward is attached to a sliding
bracket or pivoted to the frame end and while at one end it engages with the
rotating cam at the other end it engages with a pivoted tumbling lever which it
raises each time it is forced back against the cam by the aforesaid spring. The
sliding bracket is connected with the oscillating lever by one or two pivoted
connecting levers but so that the cam moves the several levers in one direction and
the spring moves them back again.
When the tumbling lever is not raised it comes in contact with a scroll or
spiral cam on a rotating shaft and stops the cam. As the other part of the scroll
cam rotates it is forced outwards and carries with it the strap fork or other.device
by which the driving strap can be thrown onto the loose pulley.
The tube supporting the reciprocating bar and pivoted tumblers is preferably
made without any fast connection between it and the levers and spring so that it
can be readily lifted away for cleaning and other purposes.
It will be understood that several parts may, if desired, be somewhat modified,
such as instead of the V shaped slit to engage with the sliver, pin or needle points
may be used, or serrations or teeth, which will adhere to the fibre. And instead
of notches cut in the bars projections on one may pass to and fro against stationary
projections, pins, or brackets on the other or a pivoted lever may be employed
which will be knocked over on the falling of the tumbler but at present we prefer
the arrangement described.
In operation the pivoted tumbler is drawn forward when the sliver comes in
contact with it and the projecting end of the tumbler passes between the notches
or projections of the two bars and the movable one is stopped and prevented
returning the tumbling lever then falls against the scroll or spiral cam stopping one
part of it and forcing the other part with strap fork along the shaft until the strap
is shifted from the fast to the loose pulley.
Dated this 14th day of July 1892
WM. P. THOMPSON & Co.,
6, Bank Street, Manchester, Patent Agents.
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Stop Motions for Machines used in Preparing Flax
and other Fibres for Spinning.
WC, MALCOM MACGREGOR GREEVES, of The Forth River Mills, Falls Road,
Belfast, in the County of Antrim, Ireland, Manager and THOMAS LUCAS of the
same place, Mechanic, do hereby declare the nature of this invention and in
what manner the same is to be performed, to be particularly described and
ascertained in and by the following statement:-
This invention relates primarily to the frames used in the preparation of flax but
may also be applied to other machines in which the partly manufactured fibres of
cotton, wool or silk, et cetera, in the form known as "slivers" are passed through
machines for the purpose of reducing and straightening the fibres. It is designed
to provide an efficient and reliable stop motion which will act to stop the machine
not only when one end breaks but also when an end becomes entangled and passes
forward with a knot or lump.
We construct a balanced or pivoted lever or tumbler of such a shape that when
the end or sliver falls upon it or comes in contact with it the friction or grip or the
blow of the end thereon draws it forward and its lower end engages with a
reciprocating device in the form of a gridiron or of a notched bar sliding past
another and thereby stops the machine.
The invention will be fully described with reference to the accompanying
drawings in which the invention is shown detached from the drawing frame.

page_text: Fig. 6. Longitudinal section of a modified form.
Fig. 7. Transverse section of same.
Fig. 8. Longitudinal section of another modification.
Fig. 9. Transverse section of same.
Fig. 10. Longitudinal section of another modification.
Fig. 11. Transverse section of same.
Fig. 12. End elevation of the operating mechanism.
Fig. 13. Plan of same.
Fig. 14. Elevation of detail of connecting levers.
To the back of the frame opposite each roller we pivot a lever or tumbler A
below the slivers. The tumbler A is carried by supporting tube B (or by a bar,
preferably by a tube) to which it is pivoted or to a bar C fitted therein, and the
tube B also supports a reciprocating bar D formed with holes or notches & in the
face thereof.
The pivoted tumbler A is provided at its lower end with a projection or finger a
which when the tumbler falls enters or engages with or comes in contact with the
notches d in the reciprocating bar D the motion of which stopped or checked
thereby causing the stoppage of the whole machine.
A second stationary bar C provided with similar slots or notches c is placed
alongside the reciprocating bar D so that the holes in the two alternately hit and
miss as the bar slides to and fro. When the holes or notches in the two bars
coincide the lower end of the tumbler when caused to fall or is drawn forward by
contact with it of the sliver, falls into them and stops the motion of the recipro-
cating bar.
It is desirable that the upper end A of the pivoted tumbler should be made of
such a shape that while it will offer sufficient resistance to the sliver or fibre that
comes in contact with it to be overbalanced or drawn forward it will not injure or
disarrange the sliver. For this reason we prefer to make it of oblong shape with a
narrow tapered or V slit or groove in the upper end into which the broken end of
the sliver will fall or in which a knot or lump in the sliver will catch. To give
additional resistance to the sliver one side of the tumbler which forms the slit may
overlap the other. The upper end above the slit is hollowed or curved and the
corners rounded off as may be found most desirable, a forked guide E may also he
attached to the supporting tube B.
The pivot a¹ of the tumbler or lever A may be placed vertically or horizontally
as shown in the several modifications illustrated by the drawings.
Referring to Figs. 1 to 5 the tumbler A is made L shaped at the foot which is
the form we prefer to make for fine and delicate slivers. It is pivoted vertically
on the stationary bar C on the pin a' so as to obtain a long leverage. The V slit
or groove into which the sliver falls is formed of the single leg of the lever A and
one side of the fixed guide E.
Referring to Figs. 6 and 7 the tumbler A is pivoted to the stationary bar Con
the horizontal pin a with a V shaped or forked arm in front of the fixed guide E.
Referring to Figs. 8 and 9 the tumbler A is pivoted on a horizontal pin a¹ to the
tube B and is of ✓ shape without any additional guide.
Referring to Figs. 10 and 11 another modification is shown in which the
reciprocating bar D is placed above the stationary bar C and the tumbler A is
pivoted to the latter.
Referring to Figs. 12, 13 and 14 the reciprocating bar is pivoted to an oscillating
lever I which is actuated by a cam G carried by a stud g on the end of framing H.
The cam G is rotated by the wheels I and i from any rotating shaft or spindle.
The oscillating lever F is connected with the cam by any suitable, levers or links.

page_text: I
At each revolution the cam G comes in contact with the lever and moves the
reciprocating bar D in one direction expanding or compressing a spring K connected
to the lever for a spring K¹ placed at the other end of the bar as shown
in Fig. 1.
The lever which conveys movement to the oscillating lever F is at one end
supported by and slides on the stud f' attached to the frame and at the other end
is pivoted on the stud f". The free end engages with the rotating cam G by
which it is moved and it carries a pin L which engages with the tail m of a pivoted
tumbling lever M which it raises each time it is forced back by the spring Kor K'
against the cam G.
Should one of the tumblers A be operated by a falling sliver or knot or entangle-
mment on the sliver catching in it and causing it to engage with and stop the
reciprocating bar D the tumbling lever M is not raised and its end comes in
contact with a projection n on the outer part n¹ of a spiral scroll or clutch cam N
which rotates with the cam G and stops the outer part of the clutch N and as
the other part n of the cluch cam N continues to rotate it forces the part n'
outwards on its shaft carrying with it the bracket o to which the strap fork O is
attached thus moving the strap fork O or other device by which the driving strap
is controlled and thereby throws the driving strap onto the loose pulley and stops
the machine. The rods p p are attached to the stop rod which runs the length
of the machine.
The tube B supporting the reciprocating bar D and pivoted tumblers A is
preferably made without any fast connection between it and the oscillating lever F
and spring K or K' so that it can be readily lifted away for cleaning and other
purposes.
It will be understood that several parts may, if desired, be somewhat modified,
such as instead of the V shaped slit to engage with the sliver, pin or needle points
may be used, or serrations or teeth, which will adhere to the fibre. And instead
of notches cut in the bars C and D projections on one may pass to and fro against
stationary projections, pins or brackets on the other or a pivoted lever may be
employed which will be knocked over on the falling of the tumbler but at present
we prefer the arrangement described.
In operation the pivoted tumbler A is drawn forward when the sliver comes in
contact with it and the projecting end a passes between the notches or projections
of the two bars C and D and the movable one is stopped and prevented returning
the tumbling lever M then falls against the scroll or clutch cam N stopping one
part of it and forcing the other part with strap fork O along the shaft until the
strap is shifted from the fast to the loose pulley and the machine stopped.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of the said inven-
tion, and in what manner the same is to be performed, we declare that what we
claim is :-
-
1. A stop motion for the frames used in the preparation of flax and other fibres
provided with a balanced or pivoted lever or tumbler of V or other shape which
falls or is drawn forward when the sliver comes in contact with it and engages with
and stops a reciprocating bar thereby causing the stoppage of the machine
substantially as described."
2. In a stop motion for frames for the preparation of flax or other fibres the
combination with a V or other pivoted lever or tumbler which is drawn forward
when the sliver comes in contact with it provided with a projection at its lower
end of a reciprocating notched bar with which it engages and stops when drawn
forward and mechanism for actuating the reciprocating bar and for stopping the
machine when the bar is stopped substantially as described.
3. In a stop motion for frames for the preparation of flax or other fibres the
combination of a pivoted V shaped or other tumbler upon which the end of
the sliver falls when broken, a stationary notched bar and a reciprocating notched
bar with which the end of the pivoted tumbler engages, a rotating cam and spring

page_text: for actuating the reciprocating bar and a scroll or clutch cam by which the
strap fork is moved when the reciprocating bar is stopped substantially as
described.
4. A stop motion for machines used in preparing flax and other fibres for
5 spinning constructed with the several parts combined and arranged substantially
as and for the púrposes described and shown.
Dated this 20th day of March 1893.
WM. P. THOMPSON & Co.,
Manchester, Liverpool, and London, Patent Agents.