CERTAIN IMPROVEMENTS IN MACHINES USED FOR PREPARING TO BE SPUN AND SPINNING COTTON AND OTHER FIBROUS SUBSTANCES, AND FOR PREPARING TO BE WOVEN AND WEAVING SUCH SUBSTANCES WHEN SPUN
Year: 1847

page_text: TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, we, MATTHEW
CURTIS, of Manchester, in the County of Lancaster, Machinist, and ROBERT
LAKIN, of Ardwick, in the same County, Machinist, send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria did, by Her
Letters Patent under the Great Seal of the United Kingdom of Great Britain
and Ireland, bearing date at Westminster, the Fourteenth day of October, in
the eleventh year of Her reign, give and grant unto us, our exors, admors,
and assigns, Her especial license, full power, sole privilege and authority, that
we, the said Matthew Curtis and Robert Lakin, our exors, adiñors, and assigns,
should and lawfully might, during the term of fourteen years therein expressed,
make, use, exercise, and vend, within that part of Her Majesty's United King-
dom of Great Britain and Ireland called England, Her Dominion of Wales, and
Town of Berwick-upon-Tweed, our Invention of "CERTAIN IMPROVEMENTS IN
MACHINES USED FOR PREPARING TO BE SPUN AND SPINNING COTTON AND OTHER
FIBROUS SUBSTANCES, AND FOR PREPARING TO BE WOVEN AND WEAVING SUCH
SUBSTANCES WHEN SPUN;" in which said Letters Patent is contained a proviso,'
that if we, the said Matthew Curtis and Robert Lakin, should not particularly
describe and ascertain the nature of the said Invention, and in what manner
the same is to be performed, by an instrument in writing under our hands and
seals, or under the hand and seal of one of us, and cause the same to be inrolled
in Her Majesty's High Court of Chancery within six calendar months next
and immediately after the date of the said Letters Patent, then the said

page_text: Letters Patent, and all liberties and advantages whatsoever thereby granted,
sshould utterly cease, determine, and become void, as in and by the same, rela-
tion being thereunto had, will more fully and at large appear.
NOW KNOW YE, that in compliance with the said proviso, we, the said
Matthew Curtis and Robert Lakin, do hereby declare that the nature of our
said Invention, and the manner in which the same is to be performed, are par-
ticularly described and ascertained in and by the following statement and
description, reference being had to the Drawings on five Sheets hereunto
annexed, and in which description and Drawings the same letters and numbers
of reference are used to indicate the same parts in all the Figures in the
Drawings in which they occur. The scales to which the Figures are drawn
are stated on the Drawings.
We shall, in the first place, describe our improvements in the machines used
for preparing cotton and other fibrous substances to be spun, known as drawing
frames, slubbing frames, and roving frames, consisting in the application to
.such machines of the apparatus we are about to describe for stopping the
action of the machine when the sliver of cotton or other fibrous substances
breaks or fails, or presents itself double-knotted or in a lump. Figure 1 is a
plan of portion of a drawing frame, sufficient to shew our improvement applied
thereto; Figure 2 is an end view of the same; Figure 3 is a section of the
back plate, the revolving roller, and the tumbler, taken at the red line in
Figure 1; and Figure 4 is an elevation of the same parts, shewing the several
positions the tumbler is in respectively when supported by the sliver, when the
şliver is absent, and when the sliver comes up in a double knot or lump. A¹
are the drawing rollers; B¹ are the top rollers; C¹ are the slivers, which seve-
rally pass under the arms of the bell-cranked tumblers D¹, D₁*, and D1**.
On the upper part of each tumbler is a curved projection, which serves as a
handle for raising the tumbler when it has fallen in consequence of the absence
of the sliver. E' is a cranked lever, weighted at the end E2, and is placed
loose on the revolving shaft G', which passes through the boss of the lever;
from the boss a tail piece projects downwards, as seen in Figure 2. In the
end opposite the weighted end of the lever is a stud, on which is the spur
wheel F. On the revolving shaft G¹ are the projections H and H³, which
are for the purpose of coming in contact with the tails of the tumblers when
the position of the tumbler is changed by the absence of the sliver, as at D¹*,
or by the doubling or knotting of the sliver, as at D¹**; but which, when the
tumblers are in the position shewn at D', pass by without touching. Q is a
spur wheel fastened on the end of the shaft G₁; I' and J' are the fast and
loose pullies on which the strap works. To the strap guide is attached the

page_text: bar K¹, which slides in suitable openings in the stands L' and L. One end
of this bar is by the spring M¹ fastened to the stand L2, held against the tail
piece of the lever E', and when that is removed, the bar being at liberty, is,
by the action of the spring. M¹ acting, pulled in that direction, and, by the
strap guide, draws the strap from the fast. to the loose, pulley, and-so stops the
machine. N is a spur wheel, fastened on the back drawing roller. On a stud
in the fixing O¹ is the carrier wheel P¹, which geers in the spur wheels Fand
N¹. To the back plate R₁ are fastened the studs r¹, in which, the pins are
fixed: on which the tumblers move; these studs also act as guides, for the
sliver, and prevent it from coming in contact with the side, of the tumbler,.or
from getting over the end of the arm of the tumbler. At the bottom of each
stud is a small projection,. shewn by dotted. lines in Figure 4, to prevent the
tumbler when it falls from swinging too far. S¹ is a bracket fastened to
the under side of the back plate, seen in Figures.3.and. 4, and serves to sup-
port the tails of the tumblers when acted upon by the projections H' or H³.
When the frame is in motion the drawing rollers draw the slivers, and.. each
sliver being passed under the arm of a, tumbler, holds up the tumbler in. the
position shewn at D', Figure 4, so that the projections of the revolving shaft G¹
pass: by without coming in contact with, the tail of the. tumbler; but if the
sliver, is absent the arm of the tumbler, not being supported, the, tumbler, falls,,
and assumes the position shewn at D₁*, and, as the shaft C¹ rotates, one of the
projections H will come in. contact therewith, and. the further. revolution of
the shaft is prevented.
The motion of the spur wheel Q³, fastened on the shaft. G', being also
stopped, and with it the motion of the spur wheel F, and the motion of the
carrier wheel P¹ being continued, it forces down the. wheel F¹, and with it.
the end of the loose lever E¹, on which it is: fastened, and the tail piece of the
lever, against which the bar K¹ is held, changing, its position, the bar is set at
liberty, and the spring M¹ draws the bar, and with it the strap guide, by
which means the strap will be drawn from the fast, to the loose pulley, and
the working of the machine will be arrested. If the sliver comes up..to the
tumbler in a double-knotted or lumped state, it will raise the arm of ther
tumbler, and its tail will assume the position shewn at D**, and as: the shaft.
G¹ revolves, one of the projections H2 will come in contact therewith, and stop.
the machine, in like manner as.. before mentioned.
.
We have. described this part of our Invention as applied to a drawing.
frame only, as any mechanic. conversant with spinning machines will, without
difficulty adapt. the same. to slubbing.or roving frames, 'to which it is equally
applicable.

page_text: In the second place, we shall describe our improvements in the machine for
spinning cotton and other fibrous substances, known as the mule. Figure 5 is
a side elevation of our improved mule, omitting such parts as are necessary for
the explanation of our improvements; Figure 6 is an elevation of parts of the
other side of the mule, represented with the middle portion broken away, in
order to bring the Drawing within convenient compass; Figure 7 is a plan,
and Figure 8 is an end elevation, of such parts of the mule as are necessary to
be shewn therein respectively for explaining our improvements. The Figures
from 9 to 18, both inclusive, represent various detached parts of the mule in
plan, section, or elevation, as herein-after mentioned. A are the frame sides;
B is a pulley, which receives motion from a strap from the first mover, and
communicates it through the shaft a to the mule; this pulley has a lateral
motion on the shaft a, but is prevented from turning round on it by a key
fastened thereon. C is another pulley, to which is attached the bevil wheel
B, both of which turn loose on the shaft a, but are prevented from moving
sideways by two collars, fixed on the shaft at such distance apart as to allow
the pulley C and bevil wheel to turn freely between them. On the side of the
pulley B is a conical projection, which fits into a corresponding recess in the
pulley C, and when the pulleys are pressed together they are held together
as they revolve by the contact of the parts. A section of these pulleys is seen
at Figure 11. c is a shaft, on which are fixed the mangle wheel D and the
spur wheel d; E is a rack which slides on the bed e. This rack is attached
at one end to the cross F, which connects the two parts of the mule carriage
together; the spur wheel G, attached to the mangle wheel, geers into and
gives motion to the rack E. H is a spur carrier wheel, which geers into the
spur wheel d, and the rack at the end of the bar I, below it; at the other end
of this bar is another rack, into which the quadrant J geers; the quadrant and
the radial arm f are fixed on a shaft which passes through the frame sides,
but which is not seen in the Drawings; or the quadrant and radial arm may be
connected together, and work on a stud instead of a shaft. In the radial arm
is the screw g, which passes through and moves in bearings at the top and
bottom of the radial arm; on the lower end of the screw is fixed the bevil
wheel i, which geers into the bevil wheel h, on the boss of which is the star
wheel; the bottom bearing of the screw 9 has a projection, which forms a
stud for the bevil wheel h; the fixing k, which forms the top bearing, also carries
and forms a bearing for the screw o, on which is the nut (from which a stud
projects), and the ratchet wheel m. u is a fixing on the frame side, to which is
attached a trigger catch, with which the ratchet wheel m comes in contact,
and is driven one tooth every time the radial arm descends; on the screw g

page_text: is a nut n, fitted to the inside of the radial arm f; this nut has a stud p,
carrying a swivel, to which the steel band or strap q is attached; the other
end of this strap fastened to the barrel K, which, together with as well as the
spur wheel L and pulley M, rotates on the stationary shaft r; on the inside of
the spur
wheel L is a ratchet wheel, seen at Figure 13. The barrel is made
in two parts, for the purpose of inclosing the coiled spring N, the object of
which is to turn the barrel during the run out of the carriage, so as to coil on
it the steel strap 9; the coiled spring N is fastened at one end to the stationary
shaft r; and at the other end to the inside of the barrel K, and acts on the
barrel as the main spring of a watch; in the flange on the face of the barrel
are four recesses (best seen in Figure 17), which receives the heels or pro-
jections of four catches s, one of which is shewn in full size, in plan and
elevation, in Figure 12; these catches swivel in four openings in the pulley
(as seen in Figure 16) on pins passing from the outside of the pulley
through the catches. On the side of the pulley nearest the ratchet wheel are
four light springs t, each across one of the catches, so as to prevent the catch
from projecting out of the recess towards the ratchet wheel, except when
forced towards it, as herein-after described. When the winding of the yarn on
the spindles takes place, the spur wheel L, pulley M, and barrel K are
required to be geered together; this is accomplished by one of the projecting
angles of each of the recesses in the flange of the barrel acting against the:
heel of the catch in the same recess, so as to lift the catch up and force its.
point (overcoming the resistance of the spring) against a tooth of the ratchet
wheel, as shewn by dotted lines in Figure 14, by which means, as the barrel
is turned round, it and the pulley M, and spur wheel L, being connected by
the intervention of the catches, are all taken round together. In order that
the barrel K may overcome the resistance of the springs, and to raise the
catches s, the pulley M requires to be held, so that it may not turn with the
barrel until the catches are raised. This is effected by means of a weighted
lever v, which acts as a brake on the pulley, and is best seen in Figure 16.
On the coming out of the carriage, the spur wheel L is turned round by the
spur wheel O on the tin roller shaft Y, and the barrel K. being turned in the
opposite direction by the coiled spring within it, the catches are set at liberty,
the springs force them back into the recesses in the flange of the barrel, and
the barrel pulley and spur wheel cease to be connected. w is a chain, the
links of which are of such size as to allow the points of the star wheels j and j
to enter therein, and to prevent its slipping when it turns those wheels ; & is
a finger, fastened on the under faller shaft, from which is suspended by a joint'
the rod y, in the other end of which is a slot, in which a stud from the lever

page_text: rests; this lever works on a stud on the fixing 1, which is fastened to the cross
F. The fixing 1, lever z, and rod y, are best seen in Figures 9 and 10. P is
a bar which slides in the fixings 2 and 3; and receives motion from the slotted
arm Qof the swing R. At the end of the bar nearest the fixing 3 is an
incline p¹; on this bar are the stud 4, on which the backing-off rack 5 works,
and the fixing 6, having a stud in it, on which the latch S swivels; on this
latch is the adjustable trigger 7. 49 is a disc fastened on the tin roller shaft Y';
and 44 is a ratchet wheel, loose on the same shaft, but kept from sliding in a
lateral direction by a roller fixed on the shaft. On the face of the dise next
the ratchet wheel are three sluds, and on the face of the ratchet wheel next
the disc is a stud; to one of the studs on the disc is attached a flat spring,
which, acting upon the stud in the ratchet wheel when the ratchet wheel is
disengaged, forces the stud on it up to and against one of the three studs on
the disc which it is between, and when the backing-off rack comes in contact
with the teeth of the ratchet wheel, it acts against the spring and forces
the stud in it against one of the other studs on the disc 49, and will then
'carry the disc, and the tin roller shaft on which it is fixed, along with it, the
object of the spring and studs being to allow a little play to the ratchet wheel
when coming into geer, and thereby prevent breakage, which might other-
wise occur. They are best seen in Figure 6. On the stud 8 is a lever T,
carrying a bowl 9, which comes in contact with the incline p¹; on the
same lever is also a projecting piece t¹, so placed as to come in contact
with the bowl 10 on the faller arm U. 11 is the builder screw, to the
nut of which is attached the fixing 12. The strap lever 13, which turns on
the stud 14 of the fixing 15, not only traverses the driving strap, but by
means of the pin 16, which works in the groove in the boss of the pulley B,
traverses that pulley also. This lever is made to traverse in one direction by
the fixing 17 coming in contact with the trigger 18, which causes the rod 19 to
move the lever 20, which swivels on the fixing 21, and through which lever
and fixing the lower end of the strap lever 13 passes. The strap lever is tra-
versed in the contrary direction by the fixing 22 on the cross of the carriage
acting against the lever 20. On the fixing 21 is placed a spring with two
recesses, which alternately catch on a notch on the lever 20, to retain the
lever in its required position for the time being. This is not shewn in the
Drawings, but will be familiar to any mechanic. On the shaft a, working in
bearings attached to the frame sides, is fastened the change pinion V, which
geers into the outer carrier wheel 23, which, through the train of wheels
24, 25, and 26, drives the spur wheel 27, and through it the mangle wheel
pinion and pinion shaft on which it is fastened. This pinion is not seen in

page_text: J
the Drawings owing to the intervention of other parts; it drives the, mangle
wheel in the usual way. The inner carrier wheel 28, fastened on the boss of the
outer carrier wheel 23, geers into the carrier wheel 29, and through that and
the wheel 30, which geers with it, drives the front roller shaft 31 when the
clutch box 32 is in geer. The wheel 30 is loose on the front roller shaft;
it has on one face one half of the clutch box 32, the other half of which
slides on the roller shaft, but is prevented turning thereon by a key. 33 is
the upper part of a forked lever for holding the clutch box in or out of geer.
This lever turns on a stud fastened to the roller beam, and at its lower end is
a. spring, not seen in the Drawings, the action of which is to draw the clutch
box into,geer: 34 is a bell-crank lever, which, acting against the lower end of
the forked lever, when drawn by the rod 35, counteracts, the spring, and forces
the clutch box out of geer; 36 is a bent lever, turning on a stud 37, fixed
to the under side of a cross rail, which, for more clearly exhibiting the parts
beneath, is not shewn in the Drawing; 38 is a spring which acts on the bent
lever, so as to depress the end nearest the swing R, and at the end under the
bell-crank lever is a notch; when the bell-crank lever is drawn by the rod 35,
the notched end of the bent lever, after the bell crank has passed over it, rises
through, the action of the spring, and holds the bell-crank lever till this notched
end is withdrawn, which, when the clutch box is required to be in geer, is done
by the swing acting on the end of the. bent lever.nearest to it, raising that end
and depressing the notched end, whereby the bell crank is liberated, and the
spring on the lower end of the forked lever draws the clutch box into geer. The
levers, 33, 34, and 36 are shewn only in plan in Figure 7, but as their object
and: action are well known, no further description is necessary. W is a groved
shaft, on which are the beyil. wheels band 2; X and X' are two bevil wheels,
fastened on the shafts Y and Y,, on which the tin rollers Z are fixed. These
shafts, extend the whole length of the tin rollers, which are fastened on and turn
with them. 39 is a fixing on the cross of the carriage, in which the grooved
part of the boss, of the bevil wheel b rests, and by which that wheel is carried
along with the carriage as it runs in and out; 40 is the brake pulley; 41 is the
brake which acts thereon; by the bowl on its end coming in contact with and
being raised by the incline of the lever 42.
...Before proceeding to describe the operation of our improved mule, we may
observe, that, as many parts, thereof are well known and in general use (such,
for instance, as the mangle wheel, the copping motion, the radial arm and
quadrant, and the drawing rollers and spindles); it will not be requisite to
describe such parts, except so far as to shew how they act in connection with
our.improvements. The first operation, of the mule is the coming out of the

page_text: carriage, simultaneously with which the drawing rollers must commence the
delivery of the rovings and the spindles their rotation. For this purpose the
pullies B and C are brought together, and the driving strap placed partly on
each of those pullies, and the clutch box of the drawing rollers being put in
geer, motion will be given to them as the carriage moves outward from the
pinion V through the wheels 23, 28, 29, and 30, which motion will continue
until the clutch box is drawn out of geer by the projection 43, attached to
the cap of the fixing 39, coming in contact with the catch lever 48. The
pinion V, through the wheels 23, 24, 25, 26, and 27, also communicates
motion to the pinion which drives the mangle wheel, and from the spur wheel
G, attached thereto, to the rack E, which geers with it, and thence to the
carriage, which will be forced outwards from the rollers so long as the mangle
wheel continues to rotate in the direction shewn by the arrow in Figure 5.
The spur wheel D on the mangle wheel shaft, through the carrier spur wheel
II and the bar I, communicates motion to the quadrant J, and thereby causes
the radial arm during the outward movement of the carriage to change its
position from nearly horizontal to nearly vertical. Whilst the carriage is
progressing outwards, the steel strap q is wound on the barrel K by the
action of the coiled spring N. The grooved shaft W is made to revolve by
the bevel wheel b and b', and through the bevel wheels 2, X, and X', turns
the tin rollers which drives the spindles; when the carriage has arrived within
about 6 or 8 inches of the extent of its outward movement, the fixing 17
comes in contact with the trigger of the lever 18 attached to the rod 19,
and during the further outward progress of the carriage draws the lever 20,
and with it the vibrating strap lever 13, by which means the driving strap
is drawn on the pulley B only and at the same time that pulley is drawn
from the pulley C, and the rotation of the grooved shaft is thereby stayed.
Immediately afterwards, after the bowl of the brake lever 41 comes in contact
with the incline of the lever 42, and is thereby raised and pressed against the
brake pulley 40, and the motion of the tin rollers, which would otherwise
continue for some time from their previously acquired momentum, is stopped.
The outward motion of the carriage being continued, the bowl of the brake
lever 41 runs over, and then falls below the incline of the lever 42, and
leaves the brake pulley and tin rollers free; the ratchet wheel 44 also comes
into geer with the backing-off rack 5, and the rotation of the drawing rollers
must cease, which is effected by the projection 43 coming in contact with the
lever 48, and pulls the rod 35, and with it the bell-crank lever 34, which,
acting on the upright lever 33, draws the clutch box 32 out of geer. If it
is desired to stop the delivery of the rovings before the carriage has. terminated

page_text: its outward movement, the lever 48 may be so placed that the projection 43
may come in contact with and strike the lever at an earlier period. At this
time the outward motion of the carriage will have terminated, and the pinion
which drives the mangle wheel will have arrived at that portion of the mangle
wheel known by the name of the dead run, which is between the points
2 and 2 in the mangle wheel, as shewn in Figure 5, when the pinion which
drives the mangle wheel, instead of turning it, merely travels along that
portion, allowing the mangle wheel and carriage to remain stationary, during
which the operation of backing-off or reversing the motion of the spindles
and putting down the faller and its wire takes place. As the mangle
wheel pinion travels along the dead run, both the arm of the swing R
in which it works and the arm Q will also move with it, and will take
with it the bar P, to which it is connected by the stud 45; and the ratchet
wheel 44 having, as before mentioned, geered with the teeth of the backing-
off rack 5, will be turned as long as the bar moves, or until the
rack 5 is disengaged from the ratchet wheel, and during its revolution
will, by turning the tin rollers, communicate a reversed motion to the
spindles. The rack 5 is disengaged from the ratchet wheel 44 by the trigger
7 of the backing-off latch S coming in contact with the fixing 12 on the
builder nut, which withdraws the projecting heel of the latch which supports
the backing-off rack, and allows it to fall on the projection 46; the ratchet
wheel 44 is then disengaged, and the backing-off ceases. The nut on thé
builder screw is the one in general use for varying the position of the builder
during the formation of the cop, and, being well known, it is only necessary.
to describe its motion, and shew how we use it for regulating the backing-off';
during the formation of a cop the nut traverses about 4 inches 'at a uniform
speed. At the commencement of the spinning of a set of cops, the nut is
moved on the screw to that end of the slot in the gun 47 nearest the
drawing rollers. When the builder nut is in this position, it is obvious that
the greatest length of time will elapse before the trigger 7 of the latch S comes
in contact with the fixing 12 on the nut, allowing the utmost duration for
the backing-off rack 5 to act on the ratchet wheel 44. As the cop is forming,
the nut gradually traverses further from the drawing rollers and nearer to the
trigger of the latch, consequently the latch comes sooner in contact with the
fixing on the nut, and the quantity of backing-off is thereby diminished. The
ratchet wheel must be of such a diameter, that the backing-off rack will, at
the commencement. of forming the cop, give sufficient motion to the spindles
to unwind the spiral coils of yarn, which arrange themselves on the bare part
of the spindle above the cop. As the backing off takes place, the faller

page_text: requires to be put down, which is done as, follows: The bowl 10 of the
faller arm U, .when, the carriage, is out, comes over the projection t¹ of the
lever T; before the bar P is moved, the bowl 9 of the lever T is close to
the bottom of, the incline p'; when the bar is moved, the incline being brought
under the bowl..9 forces the lever T up, and with it the faller arm U, which
puts down the fäller in the usual way. During the operation of backing-off
and putting the faller down, the pinion which drives the mangle wheel will
have passed over the dead run and have arrived at the point 3, as shewn in
Figure 5, and will then recommence its action on the mangle wheel, causing
it to move the carriage towards the drawing, rollers, and with that will
commence the winding of the yarn on the spindles. The steel strap q, which
during the outward movement of the carriage was wound around the barrel k,
will, as the carriage moves inwards, be drawn off the barrel, and turn it
round; the first effect of which is to lift the catches s in the pulley M, and
put them into geer with, the ratchet wheel on the spur wheel L, which will
thereby, be made, to turn with the barrel, and as the carriage proceeds inwards
will cause, the, tin rollers to, revolve, and through, them cause the yarn to be
wound on the spindles whilst the carriage is completing its inward movement.
Immediately before the, carriage has completed its inward movement, the
traverse of the arm Q of the swing forces the bar P. outward, and in so
doing. forces the rack 5 from its position on the projection 46 up the inclined
end of the fixing 3, and on to the projecting heel of the latch S, by which, it is
then supported, as shewn in Figure 6. At the completion of the inward run
of the carriage, the, fixing 22 comes in contact with and moves. the lever 20,
and with it the vibrating strap lever 13, by which means the pulleys B and C
are brought together; and the driving strap, from being only on the pulley B,
is traversed to a position partly on each of the pulleys; at the same time.the
arm Q of the swing strikes against the lower end of the bent lever 36, and,
withdrawing the notched end of the bent lever, liberates the bell-crank lever,
and, the spring, at the lower end of the forked lever 33 acting thereon, causes
the clutch box, to be put in geer; the machine is then ready for the carriage
to recommence its, outward movement. As is well known, pressure by springs
or weights, or both, is given to the under faller wire of a mule sufficient to
cause it to remain stationary in one position near the spindle point so long as
the winding-on continues at the proper speed, but should the winding-on be
too much, the yarn acting with greater force on it than it ought, will depress
it, and, on the other hand, if the winding on is too slack, the yarn not having
the same pressure on it, it will rise. Through this variation of the position
of the under faller.wire, the nut n may be raised or lowered, the nut, if

page_text: j
raised, retarding the winding on, and, if lowered, accelerating it; so long as
the under faller wire remains in its proper position the chain w is not acted
upon by the weighted lever z, but if the under faller wire is depressed, the rod
y suspended from the finger a
x on the under faller shaft, falls with it, and allows
the weighted lever z, which it previously held up, to descend and press the
chain between the swell on its under side and the bed of the fixing 1 which
carries the lever; and the chain, being thus held by the lever and fixing,
is drawn with them as the carriage runs in, and thereby turns the star
wheels and The bevil wheel h revolves with the wheel j, and in its
revolution turns the bevil wheel and screw g, which causes the nut n
to rise, the effect of which, as before stated, is to retard the winding on,
and this continues until the pressure of the yarn being taken off the under
faller, it rises, and the chain. is liberated. On the other hand, if the under
faller wire rises, it will lift the rod y and the weighted lever %, and the
chain will be held by the upper swell of the lever and the projection of the
fixing 1, and will be drawn by them in the opposite direction to that before
described, thereby lowering the nut n-through the means before described,
and accelerating the winding-on, until, by the increased pressure of the yarn
on the under faller wire, it is depressed, and the chain will again be liberated.
At the commencement of building the cop the nut n is placed near the
bottom of the screw 9, the spindles at that time requiring the greatest
number of revolutions to wind on a stretch of the yarn. As each successive
stretch is wound on during the formation of the double cone figure of the cop,
the diameter of the cop gradually increases, and a corresponding diminution
of the revolutions of the spindles is required; and for this purpose the screw.g,
by the means before mentioned, is gradually turned, and raises the nut nearer
the top of the radial arm. After the double cone figure of the cop is formed,
or the cop bottom, as it is termed, is completed, very little variation in the
winding on is required, except that produced by the depression of the radial
arm, which, varying the position of the nut n in relation to the barrel K,
together with the inward run of the carriage, effects the variation in the speed
of the winding on, required by the variation of the diameter of the cop on
which the yarn is being wound from its base to its point; this would be the
only variation now required if the blade of the spindle on which the cop is
formed was cylindrical, but, as it is taper, the nose of the cop requires the
spindles to turn a little more quickly, to compensate for the diminution in the
spindle. This we provide for by placing in the fixing k at the extremity of the
radial arm the screw o; on which are the ratchet wheel m and the nut ; to
which is attached a stud. At the commencement of forming each set of cops

page_text: the screw
o must be turned till the nut is brought up to the point
nearest to the radial arm. At each stretch of the mule the ratchet wheel m
comes in contact with the trigger catch on the fixing u, and is thereby
moved one tooth; the nut being prevented from turning round with the
screw, by the stud attached to it passing through the slot in the fixing, will,
as the screw is turned; traverse on the screw towards the ratchet wheel.
This traverse of the screw must be so arranged that the stud, when the
radial arm is depressed, will come in contact with the steel strap when the cop
is about half formed, but not sooner. As the remainder of the cop is being
made, the nut continuing to traverse nearer to the ratchet wheel, the stud
will at each successive depression of the radial arm press more and more
on the steel strap, and in so doing will cause a greater number of revolu
tions to be given to the spindles when winding on at the nose of the cop,
so as to compensate for the taper of the spindle.
Having now described, so far as necessary, the parts and mode of operation
of a self-acting mule as contructed by us, with our improvements therein, we
will proceed to state in what those improvements severally consist.
The first then is in the means of driving the drawing rollers. It will be
seen that the pinion V, fixed at the end of the driving shaft a, (through the
wheels 23, 24, 25, 26, and 27,) drives the pinion which drives the mangle
wheel, and the same pinion V at the same time, through the wheels 23, 28, 29,
and 30, drives the drawing rollers. The driving of the drawing rollers from
this pinion we consider a material improvement upon either of the ordinary
modes of driving them, either from the mangle wheel, or by means of a
separate pinion placed at the other end of the driving shaft a, as we thus
avoid, on the one hand, throwing upon the mangle wheel the strain of
driving the drawing rollers; and, on the other hand, the difficulty which
exists, when the mangle wheel and the drawing rollers are driven from
separate pinions on the driving shaft, of adjusting the relative speeds of
those pinions, if of different diameters, whenever any change is required to
be made in the speed of the mule, and also the extra trouble of changing
two pinions instead of one.
The second improvement is in the means of driving the tin rollers from
which the spindles are driven, which it will be seen we do by motion imparted
directly from the grooved shaft W to the shafts Y and Y¹ on which the tin
rollers are fixed; by means of the bevil wheels 6%, X, and X' on the adjacent
ends of those shafts without the intervention of any bands or intermediate
shafts. It will be obvious, that if the drums placed vertically are used, as is
very commonly done, instead of tin rollers placed horizontally, the same direct

page_text: mode of driving such drums may be applied by placing on the shafts Y and
Y¹ bevil wheels geering into corresponding bevil wheels fixed on the several
spindles or axis of the tin drums.
The third improvement is the construction and employement (for the
purpose of driving the spindles) of the tin rollers Z, fixed upon shafts Y
and Y', extending through the whole length of the same rollers, instead of
rollers connected together by couplings, and having no shaft or axle passing
throughout them, which are in ordinary use. By means of this improve-
ment the tortion to which the ordinary rollers are subjected and the play of
the couplings are avoided. This third improvement is applicable also to the
machine for spinning cotton and other fibrous substances, known as the
throstle or throstle frame, and to the machines for preparing such substances
when spun to be woven, known as doubling frames and winding frames, and
the mode of so applying the same will be too obvious to require explanaton.
The fourth improvement is in the means of giving the reverse motion to
the spindles, for the purpose of clearing them from the spiral coils of yarn
between the nose of the partially formed cop and the point of the spindle, com-
monly called the backing-off motion, and which we effect, as before described,
by means of the rack 5 and the ratchet wheel 44, fixed on the tin roller shaft,
whereby the motion given to the rack from the arm Q of the swing is imparted.
to the ratchet wheel, and consequentlly to the tin rollers, without the interven-.
tion of bands, as commonly practised, and which are attended with this incon-
venience, namely, that when the reverse motion is given to the rim pulley or
other driver of the band, the slack of the band has first to be taken up by
such pulley or driver before the band begins to act on the tin rollers, and an
interval consequently elapses before the backing-off commences, which by the
means we employ is avoided. Another advantage of the means employed by.
us is, that the motion being derived from the arm of the swing, and not.
dependent on or connected with the twist pulley or the geering for driving.
that pulley, no change of the twist pulley or geering affects the backing-off
motion. The quantity of backing-off motion given by the means aforesaid is
regulated in adaptation to the varying size of the cop by means of the fixing 12.
on the builder nut traversing on the screw of the builder, and which fixing
operates as a stop to determine the range of motion of the rack, as before
described.
The fifth improvement consists in the arrangement of mechanical parts,
forming a circuit from the mangle wheel D through the wheels d and H, the
rack bar I, the quadrant J, and radial arm f, the steel strap. 9, and
barrel K, and the rack E, back to the mangle wheel, by means of which,

page_text: during the inward run of the carriage, the excess of power which the mangle
wheel through the intervening parts causes the steel strap to exert on the
radial arm, over and beyond the amount of such power requisite to drive
the spindles and to overcome the friction of the parts,- is given back to the
mangle wheel, through the quadrant J; acting. on the rack of the bar I,
at the end adjacent to it,-and through that bar and the wheels Hand don
the mangle wheel shaft, thereby assisting the action of the mangle. wheel and.
diminishing the strain upon it during the inward run of the carriage...
The sixth improvement consists in the construction and application of the
catches s in the pulley M, in such a manner as to connect that pulley, the
spur wheel L, and the barrel K, when the catches are brought into action by.
the revolving motion of the barrel- at the commencement of the inward run of
the carriage, continuing such connection during the inward run, and.to allow.
of their disconnection at the commencement of the outward run, as herein-
before described.
The seventh improvement consists in the application and use of the coiled.
spring N within the barrel K for giving it the necessary revolving motion to
wind on the steel strap (or other strap, cord, or chain, if such be used;) on the
barrel during the outward run of the carriage instead of employing a counter-
acting strap, cord, or chain with a weight for the same purpose, as heretofore
practised:
The eighth improvement consists in the application of the star wheels. and
chain w, for the purpose of turning the screw g, instead of a strap or cord or
chain passing over smooth pulleys, as heretofore practised, so as to avoid the
liability to slipping to which that mode is subject.
The ninth improvement consists. in the construction, combination, and
application of the rod y, weighted lever z, and fixing 1, so as to act on the
chain' w, which turns the screws g, in such manner as either to raise the
nut on that screw, and thereby diminish the speed of the winding-on
motion, or otherwise to lower the nut; and thereby increase the speed of the
winding-on motion, as may be required, the mode heretofore in use having
been adapted to effect the first of those objects only:
The tenth improvement consists in the combination and application of
the screw o in the fixing. k, with the nut and stud P, ratchet. wheel m,
and trigger catch, in manner herein-before described, for the purpose of
accelerating the winding-on motion in adaptation to the tapering form of
the spindles, and in such manner that: the requisite variation in position of
the nut and stud is effected by the action of machine, and not by hand, as
heretofore done.

page_text: We will now proceed to describe some improvements adapted to .be
applied to spinning mules of the construction commonly known as Smith's
mule, having reference to Figure 19, 20, 21, 22, and 23 in the Drawings, and
which improvements consist in arrangements and combinations of mechanism
for the purposes of raising the radial arm; which forms part of the winding-on
motion, and of lengthening or shortening the arc described by that radial arni
in its vibration, and of effecting the operation of backing off; and also. of assist-
ing the mangle wheel, when the mangle wheel pinion works on the *what is
commonly the heart or centre of the mangle wheel. Figure 19 is an elevation
of so much of a mule of the description last mentioned as is requisite to shew
our improvements therein; Figure 20 is a plan of the same; with the omission
of some parts not necessary to be shewn therein; and Figures 21; 22, and '23
are elevations of some of the parts described. On the shaft: 56 is keyed the
fast pulley 57, attached to or cast on the inside of which'.is the' ratchet
wheel :58, seen in Figure 22'; 59 is a loose pulley, to which the rim or. band
pulley 60.is fastened. On the side of the loose pulley 59 nearest to the fast
pulley 57 are three centrifugal catches (seen in Figure 21), which, when
the pulley 59 is put in motion, by the driving strap being traversed.on to it,
are, by the centrifugal tendency of their weighted ends, thrown in geer with
the ratchet wheel' 58 inside of the pulley 57; to the other side of the rim
pulley 60 is fastened a pulley 61; turned slightly conical inside, and into which
the friction pulley 62 (which is turned to correspond) enters, as herein-after
described; on the outside of the friction pulley 62 are six adjustable studs 63,
fastened to it by nuts and screws, and. which are regulated to the requisite:
position in the slots. 64; this regulation' is required'in adaptation to the size of
the rim pulleý used, as, if a larger rim pulley be used, a less extent of motion
must be given to the friction pulley 62, which will be effected by placing the
studs 63 at greater distances from the centre; thus decreasing the extent of
motion given to the friction pulley. by the chain when drawn from the studs by
the motion of the screw to the nut on which the outward end of the chain is
attached, and the contrary course must be adopted when a smaller rim pulley
is used. To the stud nearest the centre of the friction pulley 62 is fastened
the chain 65, the other end of which is fastened to the nut 70 of the screw. 66,
which is attached to the arm of the swing, shewn in dotted lines in Figure: 19,
by fixings 71 and 72. 67 is a forked lever, which vibrates on the stud 68; on
this lever are three inclines 95, 96, and 97 (seen in Figure 20); the forked
end of this lever. works in a groove in the boss of the friction pulley: 62, and to
the other end is attached a spiral spring 73, fastened to the frame side. To
the boss of the friction: pulley 62 is fastened the band 75, to the other end of

page_text: which is attached the weight 76; this weight is for the purpose of turning the
friction pulley 62, when it is. liberated after the backing-off has taken place;
and winding the chain 65 tight on the studs 63, so as to be ready for backing-
off when next required. 77 is the radial arm, vibrating on a stud on the
frame side, and worked by means of a cord or strap, one end of which is
fastened to the mule carriage or any part moving therewith, and the
other end to the stud 78 on the frame side. The radial arm being similar
in its construction and use to that before described (except where other-
wise mentioned), need not be here further described, and in the Drawing
now referred to, the nut on the screw and the bevil wheels and apparatus
for turning the screw are omitted. The cord or strap passes over the
pulley 79, which rotates on the stud 80, fastened in the slot at the upper.
part of the radial arm; this slot is for the purpose of varying the position
of the stud of the pulley 79, for the purpose of lengthening or shortening the
arc described by the radial arm in its vibration. The cord or strap, after pass-
ing over and partially round the pulley. 79, passes over and partially round the
pulley 81, and thence extends to and passes over and partially round the
pulley 82, and thence to its point of attachment to the mule carriage, which is
not shewn in the Drawing. On the shaft 56 is the pulley 83, which by a
strap communicates motion to the fast pulley 85 and the loose pulley 84 on
the shaft 86, on the end of which is a pinion 87, geering with the spur wheel
95, attached to the mangle wheel. On the strap guide 88 are the two inclines
89 and 90, shewn partly by dotted lines in Figure 20. From the frame side
is suspended on a stud the lever 74, at the lower end of which is a trigger
catch. A fixing must be placed on some convenient part of the mule carriage,
which, during the outward run thereof, will come in contact with the trigger
catch of the lever 74. At the commencement of the outward run of the
carriage, the driving strap is traversed from being only on the fast pulley 57:
to being partially on the pullies 57 and 59, when, by centrifugal action of the
catches in the pulley 59, created by the revolution of that pulley, they geer
with the ratchet wheel 58, and the. pullies 57 and 59 are thereby geered
together, and motion is given to the spindles from the rim pulley 60 by a band.
passing round it and over guide pullies to the grooved pulley on the tin roller
shaft in the usual manner. As the carriage continues its outward movement
from the drawing rollers, the before-mentioned fixing on the carriage comes in
contact with the trigger catch on the lever 74, and takes it and the lever with
it, until the end of the trigger catch has passed over the fixing. The lever 74,
when thus moved, is drawn past the face of the incline 97, on which it
previously rested, and allows the spring 73 to draw the lever 67, so that the

page_text: incline 95 comes in contact with the projection 94, ready to allow the
spring 73 to act on the forked lever 67; on the carriage arriving at a distance
of six or eight inches from the extremity of its outward run, the driving strap
is traversed on to the fast pulley 57, and motion is no longer conveyed to the
spindles. At the completion of the outward run of the carriage; the pinion
which drives the mangle wheel traverses along that part of the mangle wheel
known as the dead run, and with it the arm and lower part of the swing to
which it is attached. As the arm moves, the projection 94 passing from the
point of the incline 95; allows the spring 73 to act on the lever 67;. and,
through it, force the conical face of the friction pulley 62 into close contact
with the inner face of the pulley 61: The screw 66 attached to; the arm of
the swing moves with it, and draws with it the chain 65; and the pullies 61
and 62, being held together by the friction of the conical faces, the motion
of the rim pulley 60 is reversed, and the backing-off is thereby effected. As
the swing continues its action, the projection 94 comes in contact with the
incline 96, and moves the lever 67, which withdraws the conical face of the
friction pulley 62 from being in contact with the inner face of the pulley 61;
and the connection being determined, the backing-off' ceases; at the same time
the action of the projection 94 on the incline 96 moves the lever 67 sufficiently.
to allow the trigger catch of the lever 74 to come upon the face of the incline
97; which holds the lever 67 stationary till the lever 74 is again withdrawn on
the next outward movement of the carriage. On the bottom of the screw 66 is
a ratchet wheel 71, which is moved one tooth at each stretch of the mule by means
of a catch fastened to the frame side, but not seen in the Drawings, and against
which the ratchet wheel comes in contact, thereby moving the nut 70 higher.
up on the screw; as the nut rises, on the screw, less motion is imparted through
the chain to the friction pulley 62, and consequently, the amount of backing-
off-motion continues to decrease as the cop increases. At the commencement
of the backing-off, the projection 93 on the arm of the swing comes against
the incline 89, and moves the strap guide 88, and with it the strap from the
loose pulley 84, to the fast pulley 85. At the other end of the shaft 86
to that on which the fast pulley 85 is fixed is a pinion 87, which geers into
the spur wheel 95, attached to the mangle wheel; and during the inward
movement of the carriage, which now takes place, assists to drive the mangle
wheel round, by which means a portion of the strain on the centre of that wheel
is prevented. The pulley 85 is made of such a diameter and breadth that the
friction of the strap is not sufficient to drive the mangle wheel independently
of the motion communicated to it by the usual mode, but sufficient to assist
the mangle wheel during the inward run of the carriage. Immediately before

page_text: the inward run of the carriage is completed, the pinion fixed on the arm of the
swing transverses from the point to the point in the mangle wheel, as
shewn in Figure 5, during which the projection 92 on the swing comes against
the incline 90, so as to cause the strap guide 88 to traverse the strap from the
fast pulley 85 to the loose pulley 84, and motion ceases to be given from the
fast pulley to the wheel 87. During the last-mentioned traverse motion of
the mangle wheel pinion, the projection 94 on the swing traverses to the front
of the incline 95; the cord 78 will, as the carriage proceeds outwards, be
drawn with it and will raise the radial arm, and during the inward run of the
carriage will prevent the radial arm from descending at a greater speed than
is required, by the pull of the steel or other strap attached to it and to the
barrel of the carriage, as the latter moves inward.
We will now describe another of our improvements, which consists in another
mode of effecting the winding of the yarn on the spindles, and which we shall
describe with reference to the before-mentioned mule, known as Smith's mule,
although the same may easily be applied to mules of other constructions by any
mechanic conversant with such machines. Figure 24 is a plan, and Figure 25 is
an elevation, of part of a mule; and Figures 26, 27, 28, and 29 are views of
detatched parts thereof. The shaft 98 revolves in bearings in the frame side; on
it are placed the spur wheel 99, the disc 100, and the cone 101; on the outer
edge of the disc are eight double projections, each pair of which forms a bearing
for a bar 102, which is supported therein by a pin passing through such bar, and
and bearing, and on which the bar swivels. On the shaft 98 is a key, not seen in
the Drawings, on which the cone 101 slides, and which when the shaft is turned
carries the cone with it. The forked lever 103 swivels on the stud 104 in a fixing
fastened to the frame side; the forked end of this lever takes into the groove in
the boss of the cone 101. 105 is a screw passing through a worm in the fram
side, and the end of which works into the lever 103. In the cone 101 are
eight grooves, the section of each of which forms a cross, which are for the
purpose of guiding the bars 102 as the cone is forced outwards from the disc
100; and for the purpose of preventing the bars from falling out of the grooves
of the cone, a short pin passes through that end of each bar 102, which enters
the grooves, and projects on each side of the bar into the sides or cross parts of
the groove.
On each of the bars 102 is a series of projections, which are so
placed, that when the bars rest in the grooves of the cone, as shewn in Figures
24 and 27, the projections will act as guides and support on which to lap the
chain in a spiral form. Figure 26 is an elevation of one of these bars in full
size.
At Figure 29 are shewn the eight bars and the position of the projec-
tions, which must be so arranged on the several bars, that when, as the bars

page_text: .
extend from the disc, to the cone; the projections will be arranged in a spiral
direction to receive the chain when lapping on. The chain 106 is attached to
the bar 102* at that end which rests upon the cone, and to the barrel 107, and
must be of such length as to allow it to be lapped nearly six times round the
bars when they are in a horizontal position, as shewn in Figure 27, and also
to extend to the barrel. To the barrel 107 must also be attached one end of
a cord, not shewn in the Drawings), which must pass over a pulley to be fixed
to the ceiling of the room, or to any other convenient place, and the other end
of the cord must also be attached to some convenient place near to the pulley.
On the cord, between the pulley attached to the ceiling and the end fastened of
the cord near to it, must be suspended a weighted snatch pulley or block, for
the purpose of causing the chain 106 to be lapped on the barrel 107 when the
chain is let off, from the bars 102. 109 and 110. are the fast and loose pullies
employed in Smith's mules, for the purpose of giving motion to the spindles.
111 is the brake pulley, in the interior of which are the ratchet wheel and
catches commonly used in such mules: The barrel 107 moves loose on the
shaft 112, and is attached to the ratchet wheel which works in the brake
pulley. 113 is the rim or band pulley. Assuming the mangle wheel to have
terminated its outward action, the operation of backing-off must take place,
after which the mangle wheel reverses its motion in the usual manner; at this
time the chain will be uncoiled from off the bars 102, and all except the portion
extending between the bar, to which it is fastened, and the barrel 107, will be
wound on the barrel by the action of the cord and weight previously described..
During the inward run of the carriage the mangle wheel will revolve in the
reverse direction to that it did in the outward rim, and as the outward action
caused the spur wheel 99, which-geers into the spur wheel 108, attached to the
mangle wheel, to unwind or let off the chain from the bars, so the inward rim:
will cause the bars to wind the chain thereon, and the chain being thereby
drawn from off the barrel will draw it round, and will, in so doing, give motion
to the rim or band pulley 113, and thence through the tin rollers or drums,:
which are driven from that pulley, to the spindles, and the winding-on of the yarn
will be effected in the usual manner. At the commencement of forming a set
of cops, a greater number of revolutions is required to be given to the spindles;
to wind on the yarn at each stretch of the mule; which revolving speed requires
to be diminished as the cop is formed. This variation we effect by placing the
cone 101 at the commencement of the formation of the cops so near to the
dise 100 that the bars 102 are brought to a horizontal position, as seen at
Figure 27, when they assume a cylindrical arrangement. When so placed, it
will be evident that as the chain is wound on the bars, a greater length of chain-

page_text: will be drawn off from the barrel 107, and it will be caused to turn a greater
number of times- than when the bars assume the conical form, as shewn in
Figure 24; for the shaft 98, on which the disc 100 and cone 101 are fixed,
being driven from the spur wheel 108, it will receive the same number of
revolutions each stretch of the mule, and the length of chain drawn off will
therefore depend upon the circumference of the cylinder or cone formed by the
bars when winding on. As the formation of the cop proceeds, the spindles
require a less number of revolutions, and the screw 105, being turned by the
operative so as to allow the forked lever to approach nearer the frame side,
the cone 101. will be forced out in the same direction by-the pull of the chain
on the bars 102 during the winding on, and the points of the bars sliding down
the grooves, the bars will assume the conical form, and less motion will be
given to the barrel 107. Until the cop bottom is formed, the operative
must gradually withdraw the screw 105, and allow the cone to be forced out
to give to such extent as to produce the required gradual diminution in
amount of motion to the spindles during the successive stretches. After the
completion of the cop bottom, and during the finishing of the cop, the cone
101 will not require any further lateral movement. It is evident, that as the
bars assume the conical figure, the winding-on speed will increase during
the progress of the same stretch, being the slowest at the commencement
when the chain is being wound on the smallest diameter of the cone formed by
the bars, and gradually increasing as the chain is wound on the increasing
diameter of such cone. The increased motion required to be given to the
chain, to compensate for the taper of the spindle, can be given by placing in
a fixing, to be attached to the mule carriage or the cross thereof, a screw,
with a nut on it, and a ratchet wheel, similar to the one before described in
stating the tenth of our improvements, as applied to the mule constructed by
The fixing in which the screw is placed must be so placed that the stud
on the nut will begin to come in contact with the chain 106 when the cop is
about half formed, and act on the chain when the carriage is within about one
foot of the termination of its inward rim, and the nut being raised each
stretch by the ratchet wheel at the bottom of the screw coming in contact with
a catch, the stud will gradually be raised, and more motion be given to the chain.
us.
All the improvements which we have described in connection with the
spinning mule are also applicable to the machines for preparing cotton and
other fibrous substances to be spun, known as the billy or stretcher; and
although we have described such improvements in connection only with self-
acting mules, several of the same may be applied to mules, or such other
machines as last aforesaid, worked by hand; or only partially self-acting; and

page_text: any competent mechanic will readily perceive which of the same improvements
may be so applied, as well as the mode of such application, having regard to
the nature and construction of the particular machine to which such application
may be required.
The improvements which we shall now, in the third place; describe, aré
applicable to the spinning machine known as the throstle or throstle frame,
and also to such of the machines known as doubling frames, as are used for
twisting two or more yarns or threads together in preparing the same to be
woven. These consist in the substitution of guides constructed of glass, or such
other substances as herein-after mentioned, in place of the wire guides commonly
employed in such machines, for guiding the yarns or threads from the bobbins:
to the 'flyers, and in the construction and application of the apparatus
about to be described in connection with such guides. Figure 30 is a
plan of the top of the guide boards usually placed in front of throstle.
frames, and in which the guide wires are placed, for which wires we substi-
tute glass; Figure 31 is an under sidé plan of the same; Figure 32 is. a
section of the same; and Figure 33 is an end and side view of the glass
used. The board '50 extends nearly the whole length of the frame, and is
generally made in long lengths; and the boards 51 and 52 are made.
in short pieces for the convenience of adjusting them, and are joined
together by hinges. To the board. 51 are fastened the two metal slides
53, in which are slots; these slides are let into the wood so as to be level'
with it. Across the board 50. are: recesses 54, of the width and depth of
those parts of the slides 53 which project beyond the board 51; by means of
the slides and of the bolts 55 passing through the board and through the slots
in the slides, the boards 50 and 51:are connected together, and the recesses 54,-
acting as guides to the slides, serve to keep them steady. By means of the slots
in the slides we are enabled to draw the moveable boards parallel to such
distance as may be required. In the board 52. we place the glass guides, in'
:the front of each of which is cut or cast a groove to receive the yarn and guide
it to the flyer. In throstle frames it is desirable that the part of the guide.
over or through which the yarn passeth to the flyer should be in a direct line.
with the spindle; the guide wires at present in use soon wear, and are easily
bent or displaced. By substituting the glass guides we obviate these evils to
a great extent, because the glasses; being well fastened in the board by hard
putty, white lead, or other suitable means, will not easily be displaced, and.
will wear a much longer time; when fixing the pieces of glass in the board,
car must be taken that the bottoms of all the grooves be in an even line one-
with another. The slots in the boards enable us conveniently. to adjust

page_text: the fronts of the grooves in the glass parallel with and immediately over the.
spindles. Although we have described our guides as being made of glass, which
in the substance we use and prefer, yet they may be constructed of glazed.
earthenware, porcelain, ivory, hard metal, or any other solid substance of a
firm and hard texture and smooth surface, so as to allow the yarns to pass
freely and smoothly in the grooves, and not be likely to be broken or bent in:
the ordinary use of the machines to which they are applied; it will also bo:
evident, that instead of the guides being made separate from and fastened into.
the board or piece 52, that board itself, if made of any suitable substance, may-
be constructed with grooves in its front to serve as guides for the purpose
aforesaid.
}
In the fourth place, we will describe our improvements in machines for:
weaving, and which improvements are applicable to such looms in which a:
revolving shuttle box is used. Figure 34 is a front view of such parts of a
loom as are requisite to be so shewn to explain our improvements, the middle
portion being broken away, being broken away to bring the Drawing within.
convenient compass. Figure 35 is a view of the requisite parts of that end of:
the loom on which the revolving box works, and Figure 36 is a view of parts:
of the other end; Figure 37 is an elevation, and Figures 38 and 39 are plans,
of parts of the mechanism described. 114 are the frame sides; 115 is the
breast beam; 116 is a friction roller, over and by which the cloth is carried to
the cloth beam; 117 is the tappet shaft; 118 is the thread feeler, to the part
119 of which is attached the wire 120, to the lower end of which is attached
the dog 121; the bent lever 122 vibrates on the stud 123, and when raised.
by the tappet 124, forces the dog 125 against the notched part of the vibrating
lever 126, and causes that lever, through the drawing catch 127, to take a
tooth of the ratchet wheel 128, and which is prevented slipping back by the.
retaining catch 129. The ratchet wheel 128 is fastened on the shaft 130;.
on the other end of which are fastened the wheel 131, on which the
chain 132 rests, and the V-toothed wheel 133. The chain is formed of
separate links, connected together by pins passing through them, which
pins rest in hollows formed in the outer edge of the wheel 131. Through.
bosses on one end of the levers 134 the stud 135 passes, and on which
they vibrate, From the other end of these levers are suspended the rods
136, one from each lever; to these rods, at their lower.end, are sus-
pended the catches 137, which vibrate on a stud which passes through the
bottom of the bent lever 138, one of the catches being on each side of the
lever; the bent lever 138 vibrates on a stud fastened to the frame side; it is
depressed by the tappet 139 on the tappet shaft 117, seen in Figure 35, and

page_text: is raised against and kept in contact with the tappet by the spring 140. Th
bent lever 141 vibrates on a stud fastened to the frame side, and is acted
upon at one end by the tappet 142 on the tappet shaft, and is pulled down
at the other end by the spring 143. On the part of this lever over the
wheel 133 are some V-formed teeth, which, except when drawn out by the
tappet 142, acting on the lever, are held in the wheel 133 by the spring
143. In the upright piece 144, which projects from this lever immediately
over the teeth, is a slot, in which is fastened a stud 145, of sufficient
length to reach under the two levers 134. The bevil wheel 146 fas-
tened on one end of the shaft 147, and the disc 148 at the other end of the
same shaft. On the barrel 149, which rotates loose on the shaft 147, is
fastened the bevil wheel 150 and the disc 151. In each of the discs 148 and
151 are six studs 152, placed at equal distances apart from each other. The
upright arm 153 is fastened at its upper end to the fixing 154, which carries
the outer end of the revolving shuttle box 155; at its lower end it has a boss
which turns in the bearing 156; this boss forms a bearing for the barrel 149,
which passes through and rotates therein. The barrel 149, within which the
shaft 147 rotates, forms a bearing from one end of it; the other is in a bear-
ing in the frame side. To the upright arm 153 are fastened the fixings 157,
in which the upright shaft 158 rotates; on its lower end is fastened the bevil
wheel 159, which geers into the bevil wheels 150 and 146; at its upper end is a
mitre wheel, which geers into a mitre wheel fastened on the end of the revolving
shuttle box. The bent catch lever 160, best seen in Figures 35 and 39,
vibrates in bearings attached to one of the fixings for carrying the revolving
box. At the end of this lever, over the revolving box is a projection, which
fits into one of four V notches, cut at equal distances apart in the end 161 of
of the revolving box, and is held therein by the spiral spring 162 hooked to'
the lathe sword. The lever 163 vibrates on a stud fastened to a fixing on the
frame side. At its lower end a pin passes through, to the outer part of
which is attached a band, the other end of which is fastened to the spiral
spring 164, and which spring, acting on the stud through the band, draws the
part of the pin projecting beyond the inner side of the lever against the frame
side. To the stop rod 165 is attached the fixing 166, at the lower end of
which is affixed a stud 167 of such length as to reach under the levers 134.
We will now proceed to describe such of the operations of the loom as are
sufficient for the explanation of our improvements. But before doing so
must observe that our improvements are more immediately connected with'
and relate to looms made under Letters Patent, granted respectively to
Luke Smith (dated the Sixteenth day of November, One thousand eight
:

page_text: .
hundred and forty-three), and to James Nield (dated the Twenty-fourth
day of July, One thousand eight hundred and forty-four). The ratchet
wheel is turned to the extent of one tooth at every two picks of the
loom, by means of the tappet 124 acting on the levers 122 and 126, and
the dog and catch attached thereto, and through it motion is given to
the shaft 130 and wheel 131 and the chain which rests thereon; the tappets
124 and 142 must be so arranged that immediately before the tappet 124 acts
on the lever 122 the tappet 142 must act on the bent lever 141, and raise it,
and withdraw the teeth on it out of the teeth of the wheel 133, so as to set
the wheel 133, the shaft 130, and ratchet wheel 128 at liberty. At the same
time that the lever is raised, the stud 145 being also raised, lifts the levers 134,
under which it passes and raises, them off the chain on which they previously:
rested. The wheel 133 being at liberty, and the levers 134 being raised off
the chain, a tooth of the ratchet wheel 128 will be taken. The tappet 142
must be so formed, that immediately after a tooth of the ratchet wheel 128 is
taken it will allow the spring 143 to draw the teeth in the bent lever 141-
into the teeth of the wheel 133, by which means it and the wheel 131 are
held fast and are brought into their proper position; for the teeth on the
bent lever always being at the same distance from the stud on which
it turns, when they close in with the teeth of the wheel 133. they brings
the latter wheel to its true position, proportioned to the movement of the
ratchet wheel-128,- as each successive tooth of that wheel is taken up, cor-
recting any irregularity of movement in the wheel 131, and thereby ensuring
a greater certainty of the notches in the pattern chain being in a correct
position for the projections on the under side of the levers 134 to fall into s
them. At the same time the teeth of the lever 141 close in with the teeth
of the wheel 133, the stud lowers the levers 134 and leaves them at liberty to.
fall, which they will, on the chain, and if under the projection of either of
these levers a recess in the chain presents itself, the lever being at liberty,
the projection falls into the recess, and in so doing allows the hooked end of
one of the catches 137 attached to the lever to fall; which it does, on a stud
on one the discs 148 and 151. The tappet 142, which moves the bent lever
138 and catches 137, must be so-arranged, that immediately after either of,
the catches has fallen, as described, the tappet 139 will act on the lever 138,
and pull the catch and the stud on which it rests and turn the disc one-sixth of S
a revolution, and with it that one of the bevil wheels 146- and 150 which is.
connected with the disc acted upon by the catch, the disc 148 and the. bevil.
wheel 146 being connected, and also the disc 151 and the bevil: wheel -150.
The number of teeth in bevil wheels 146 and 150 are in proportion to those.

page_text: in the bevil wheel 159 as six to four, so that either. of the bevil wheels
146 and 150 being turned one-sixth of a revolution, the upright shaft, and
through it and by means of the mitre wheels, the revolving box, will be turned
one-fourth of a revolution. The catches .137. being always drawn in the same
direction, it will be evident that whichever of the bevil wheels 146 and 150
is turned, it will be the driver of the upright shaft 158, and a backward or
forward motion will be given to the revolving box as the one or the other of
the catches 137. is brought into play. As, the lathe sword is approaching the
breast beam, the incline 160* of the bent lever 160 comes in contact with the
point of the lever 163, whereby.that end of the bent lever is depressed, and
the projection or catch on the other end is withdrawn from out of the notch
in the revolving box, leaving it at liberty to be turned. When the loom- is at
any time stopped, the stop rod 165.is partially turned, and with it the fixing
166, in which the stud 167 is fixed, will also be moved, and will bring
that stud under the levers 134, and raise and hold them-up, by which means
no motion can be given to the revolving box 155 by the catches 137.
:
Having now described the nature of our said Invention, and the manner in
which the same is to be performed, we declare that we claim as of our
Invention, the application, to the machines known as the drawing frames;
slubbing frames, and roving frames, of the tumbler or bell-crank lever,
marked D¹ in the Drawings, as herein-before described, by which the failure
or absence of the sliver of cotton or other fibrous substance, or the presence
of any knot, doubling, or lump therein, is detected, and in either case the
working of the machine is thereupon stopped. And with reference to the
stopping of the machine, on the presence of any knot, doubling, or lump in
the sliver, we claim any modification of this our improvement in which a lever
or other implement is raised by such knot, doubling, or lump in the sliver, and
thereupon causes the working of the machine-to-be stopped..
And we also claim as of our Invention, the improvements referred to under
the thirteen following divisions in reference to the machines. known as the
mule and billy or stretcher, that is to say:-
First, the arrangement and combination of mechanism, whereby through
the intervention of suitable geering the drawing rollers are driven or derive
motion from the pinion which drives the mangle wheel pinion.
Secondly, the arrangement of mechanism whereby rotatory motion is im-
parted directly from the grooved shaft, marked W in the Drawings, to the shafts
on which the tin rollers are fastened; by means of the bevel wheels or geering
at the adjacent ends of the grooved shaft and tin roller shafts respectively,
without the intervention of bands. or intermediate shafts.

page_text: Thirdly, the construction and employment, for the purpose of driving the
spindles, of tin rollers fixed upon shafts, extending through the whole length
thereof, as herein-before described, and which we claim also in application to
the machine known as the throstle or throstle frame, and the machines known
as doubling frames and winding frames.
Fourthly, the combination, arrangement, and application of the rack and
ratchet wheel, marked respectively 5 and 44 in the Drawings, and the parts
connected or acting therewith, for giving the reversed motion to the spindles,
called the backing-off motion, as herein-before described, or any modification
thereof in which the rack and ratchet wheel, or any equivalent means substi-
tuted therefor, derive the required motion from the arm of the swing, and impart
it to the tin roller shafts without the intervention of bands; and also the mechanism
or mechanical means, herein-before described, for regulating the quantity of
backing-off motion, or any modification thereof, in which such regulation of the
backing-off motion is derived from or depends on the traverse or progressive
motion of the builder nut on the screw of the builder; and also the mechanism
or mechanical means, herein-before described, in connection with the mule
known as Smith's mule, for the like purposes of producing and regulating the
quantity of the backing-off motion.
Fifthly, the arrangement and combination of the mangle wheel, and other
mechanism or mechanical parts employed in the winding-on motion, so as to
form a circuit in such manner that during the inward run of the carriage the
excess of power which the mangle wheel through the intervening parts causes
the steel strap cord, or other equivalent therefor, to exert on the radial arm,
over and beyond the amount of such power required to drive the spindles and
overcome the friction of the parts, is given back to the mangle wheel, as
herein-before described; and we do not confine ourselves to the particular parts
or manner of combination or arrangement used by us, and herein-before
described, but extend our claim to any modification thereof adapted to effect
the same object.
Sixthly, the construction and application of the catches in the pulley, marked
M in the Drawings, for the purpose of connecting that pulley, the ratchet
wheel L, and the barrel K, herein-before described.
Seventhly, the application of a coiled spring within the barrel K for giving
it the necessary revolving motion to wind the steel strap, or other strap, cord,
or chain which may be used on the barrel during the outward run of the
carriage, as herein-before described.
Eighthly, the application and employment of the star wheels and chain, as
herein-before described, for the purpose of turning the screw in the radial arm.

page_text: Ninthly, the construction, combination, and application of the rod, weighted
lever and fixing, marked respectively y, z, and 1 in the Drawings, as herein-
before described, for the purpose of turning the screw in the radial arm in such
manner as either to raise or to lower the nut on the screw, and thereby to vary
the speed of the winding-on motion, as may be required; and which we claim
only in combination, as the means of effecting such twofold object, a similar
contrivance being already in use, adapted only to the purpose of raising but not
of lowering the nut on the screw, and to which we make no claim.
Tenthly, the means of accelerating the winding-on motion of the spindles in
adaptation to their tapering from, herein-before described as consisting in the
combination and application of the screw o, nut and stud l', ratchet wheel m,
and trigger catch on the fixing u, as shewn in the Drawings, and which means
we claim, however varied or modified in form or arrangement, so that the same
effect the requisite variation in position of the stud, or equivalent therefor,
by the action of the machine, without the assistance of the workman to adjust
the same.
Eleventhly, the mode of raising the radial arm, when employed in the mule
before mentioned as Smith's mule, by means of a cord attached thereto, and
also to the mule carriage, or any part moving therewith, in manner herein-
before described; and also the means herein-before described of varying the
position of the stud 79 in the slot of the radial arm, for the purpose of length-
ening or shortening the are described by the radial arm in its vibration.
.
Twelfthly, the application, in the last-mentioned description of mule, of a
wheel or wheels to assist the working of the mangle wheel, when the mangle
wheel pinion works on the heart or centre of the mangle wheel, during the
inward run of carriage, by communicating motion to the mangle wheel inde-
pendently of and in addition to that which it receives from the mangle wheel
pinion, and thereby diminishing the strain on the heart or centre of the mangle
wheel, and which assisting wheel or wheels is driven by or from a fast pulley,
either on the shaft 86, as shewn in the Drawings, or on any other convenient
in the machine.
Thirteenthly, the construction, arrangement, and application of the cone and
conveying bars, barrel, and parts connected therewith, herein-before described,
of regu-
with reference to Figures 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, and 29, for the purpose
lating the speed of the winding of the yarn on the spindles.
And we also claim as of our Invention, in relation to the machines known as
the throstle or throstle frame, andto such doubling frames as are used for
twisting two or more yarns or threads together, the construction and appli-
cation to such machines of guides made of glass, glazed earthenware, porcelain,

page_text: ivory, hard metal, or any such other substance as herein-before mentioned in
relation to this part of our Invention, in place of the wire guides commonly
employed in such machines, for guiding the yarns or threads from the bobbins
to the flyers; and also the construction and application of the apparatus
herein-before described for adjusting and regulating the position of such guides.
And we also claim as of our Invention, in relation to looms in which revolving
shuttle boxes are used,-
First, the combination and arrangement of the levers 134 and catches 137,
shown in the Drawings, for the purpose of giving motion when required to the
revolving shuttle box, as herein-before described..
. Secondly, the application of the lever 144, as herein-before described, by
which the V-formed teeth therein, acting on the wheel 133, causes the wheel
131 on each movement of the ratchet wheel 128 to have a more regular and
definite motion, and the pattern chain is thereby more accurately moved; and
also the contrivance for lifting the levers 134 off the chain before it is moved
by means of the stud 145 in the slot of the fixing 144 on the same levers,
acting in manner herein-before described.
And, lastly, the construction' and application of the fixing 166 on the stop
rod 165, and the stud therein, for the purpose of raising and holding the levers
134, as herein-before described, when the loom is stopped, by which means
motion is prevented from being. given to the revolving shuttle box.
In' witness whereof, we, the said Matthew Curtis and Robert Lakin, have
hereunto set our hands and seals, this Fourteenth day of April, in the
year of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and forty-eight.