IMPROVEMENTS IN MACHINERY FOR PREPARING, SPINNING, AND DOUBLING COTTON AND OTHER FIBROUS MATERIALS
Year: 1876

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Benjamin Alfred Dobson, of the Firm of Messieurs
Dobson and Barlow, of Bolton, in the County of Lancaster, Machine Maker,
and James Macqueen, of Bolton aforesaid, Machinist, for the Invention of
"IMPROVEMENTS IN MACHINERY FOR PREPARING, SPINNING, AND DOUBLING
COTTON AND OTHER FIBROUS MATERIALS."
Sealed the 27th February 1877, and dated the 26th October 1876.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Benjamin Alfred Dobson and
James Macqueen at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents on the 26th
October 1876.
BENJAMIN ALFRED DOBSON, of the Firm of Messieurs Dobson and Barlow, of
Bolton, in the County of Lancaster, Machine Maker, and JAMES MACQUEEN, of
Bolton aforesaid, Machinist. IMPROVEMENTS IN MACHINERY FOR PREPARING,
SPINNING, AND DOUBLING COTTON AND OTHER FIBROUS MATERIALS."
Our improvements in machinery for preparing cotton and other fibrous materials
relate to the combing machines by which the fibres are laid parallel to each other
and prepared for the subsequent operations of roving and spinning.
Our Invention consists in an improved method of weighting the detaching or
piecing roller. In ordinary combing machines the roller has been brought down
on to the cylinder by a weight; now we propose to bring down the roller by the
ordinary weight, and then to apply an additional weight when the roller is on the
segment. A convenient mode of accomplishing this is by a cam on the ordinary
cam shaft acting on a double lever, to the short arm of which is attached a spring,
the other end of which is attached to a lever fixed on a shaft, to which is also fixed
a second lever, which is brought into contact with the ordinary weight, thereby
increasing the pressure to the extent required. By this means we are enabled
to work with a heavier lap than was possible by the ordinary mode of weighting.
Our improvements in machinery for spinning and doubling relate to self-acting
mules, and consist of an improved combination of machinery for controlling the
rising of the copping faller after the yarn is wound on the cop to prevent snarls.
To the faller shaft is fixed a lever, to which is suspended a rack gearing into a
pinion which is attached to a friction plate. To the counter faller shaft is also fixed
a lever, which regulates the position of a friction pulley acting on the face friction

page_text: plate above referred to. This friction pulley is driven by a band or otherwise from
the tin drum shaft. By this arrangement when the carriage is up the copping
faller is only allowed to rise at such a speed as will wind the slack yarn on the
blade of the spindle, thereby preventing snarls.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent filed by
the said Benjamin Alfred Dobson and James Macqueen in the Great Seal Patent
Office on the 17th April 1877.
BENJAMIN ALFRED DOBSON, of the Firm of Messieurs Dobson and Barlow, of
Bolton, in the County of Lancaster, Machine Maker, and JAMES MACQUEEN, of
Bolton aforesaid, Machinist. "IMPROVEMENTS IN MACHINERY FOR PREPARING,
SPINNING, AND DOUBLING COTTON AND OTHER FIBROUS MATERIALS."
Our improvements in machinery for preparing cotton and other fibrous materials
relate to the combing machines by which the fibres are laid parallel to each other
and prepared for the subsequent operations of roving and spinning.
Our Invention consists in an improved method of weighting the detaching or
piecing roller. In ordinary combing machines this roller has been brought down
on to the cylinder by a weight; now we propose to bring down the roller by the
ordinary weight, and then to apply an additional weight when the roller is on the
segment.
Our improvements in machinery for spinning and doubling relate to self-
acting mules, and consist of an improved combination of machinery for controlling
the rising of the copping faller after the yarn is wound on the cop to prevent
snarls.
And in order that our Invention may be fully understood and readily carried into
operation we will proceed to describe the accompanying three Sheets of Drawings,
reference being had to the figures and letters marked thereon.
On the
On Sheet 1 Fig. 1 is a front view, and Fig. 2 an end view of part of an ordinary
cotton combing machine to which our improvements are applied. a is the comb
cylinder; b, the detaching or piecing roller, which is pressed against the cylinder
when required by the weight c; d is the cam shaft; these parts are connected to
the stands e fixed to the roller beam f, and are made in the usual manner.
cam shaft d is fixed the cam d¹, which acts on the lever g fixed on the shaft g¹ sup-
ported in bearings bolted to the roller beam f; to the shaft g¹ is also fixed the catch
piece g², which acts on the second lever g³, which is loose on the shaft gl. The
second lever g³ passes under and supports the additional weights c¹, which are placed
above the ordinary weight c. These additional weights are raised and lowered by
the cam d¹.
The mode of operation is as follows, and the Drawing represents the parts in the
positions they occupy when the additional weights c¹ are bearing upon the ordinary
weight c in order to increase the pressure of the roller b on the segment of the
cylinder a. As the cam d¹ revolves it acts on the lever g, and the catch piece g²
then raises the second lever g³, which lifts the additional weights c¹ and leaves the
roller b to be acted upon only by the ordinary weight c. By this means we are
enabled to work with a heavier lap than was possible by the ordinary mode of
weighting.
On Sheet 2 Figs. 3 and 4 represent a modification of this part of our Invention.
In this arrangement the parts marked a, b, c, d, e, and f are similar to those above
described. The cam d¹ acts on the upper arm of the double lever g, which is
mounted on the fulcrum stud g¹, and the lower arm of the lever g acts on the
lever g, which is fixed on the same shaft as the lever g³, to which is connected the
lower end of the spring h. The upper end of the spring / hooks on the cross
bar c², to which the ordinary weight c is connected. When the roller bis pressed

page_text: on the segment of the comb cylinder a the cam d¹ acts on the lever g, which
depresses the end of the lever g³, and extends the spring h. The extra tension thus
produced acts in the same manner as the additional weights c¹ above described and
gives the requisite pressure to the roller b.
On Sheet 3 Figs. 5 and 6 represent two views of part of the carriage of a self-
acting mule for spinning and doubling to which our improvements are applied.
i is the carriage; j, the spindles; %, the tin drum shaft; 1, the copping faller shaft ;
and m the counter faller shaft, all of which are made as usual. To the copping
faller. shaft is fixed the lever to which is suspended the rack gearing into the
pinion n, which is attached to the friction pulley n¹. To the counter faller shaft m
is also fixed the lever m¹, to which is suspended the link m² connected below to the
elbow lever m³. This lever and the spring m regulate the position of the friction
pulley n¹ on the face of the friction plate o¹, which is driven by a band passing
around the pulley ¹ on the tin drum shaft k and the pulley o fixed to the friction
plate o. The vertical rack 12 passes through the horizontal slot in the rack P fixed
to the front of the carriage. Into the rack p gears a movable rack piece p', which
is lifted by the weight of the elbow lever q, and which is allowed to drop into gear
again when the elbow lever q has been deflected by the adjustable tappet q¹ fixed
to the floor. The friction plate o¹ is pressed against the friction pulley n¹ by
the lever, the lower end of which is acted upon by the incline, fixed to the
floor.
When the yarn is slack in winding the lever m¹ rises and the elbow lever m³
moves the friction pulley n¹ towards the centre of the friction plate o¹. Before the
counter faller has been lowered by the usual depression lever the elbow lever q has
been deflected by the tappet q¹ and allowed the rack piece p¹ to drop into gear
with the rack p, thus determining the position of the friction pulley n¹ on the
face of the friction plate o¹. When the yarn is tight the spring m moves the
friction pulley n¹ further from the centre of the plate o¹, and the rise of the copping
faller is consequently more rapid. By this arrangement when the carriage is up
the copping faller is only allowed to rise at such a speed as will wind the slack
yarn on to the blade of the spindle, thereby preventing snarls.
Having thus stated the nature of our Invention and described the manner of
performing the same, we declare that we claim,-
First. The improved method of weighting the detaching or piecing roller of
combing machines, whereby additional pressure is given when required, as shewn
and described in reference to Sheets 1 and 2, or any equivalents for effecting the
same object.
And, Secondly. Controlling the rising of the copping faller from the counter faller
by the machinery shewn and described or by any modification of machinery.
In witness whereof, we, the said Benjamin Alfred Dobson and James Macqueen,
have hereunto set our hands and seals, this Tenth day of April, One thousand
cight hundred and seventy-seven.
Witness to the signatures of
Ben. Alf. Dobson and James
Macqueen,
JOHN LEIGH ALDRED.
BEN. ALF. DOBSON.
JAMES MACQUEEN.
(L.S.)
(L.S.)