IMPROVEMENTS IN MACHINERY FOR DOUBLING AND WINDING COTTON AND OTHER YARNS AND THREADS
Year: 1870

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Robert Smith, of Sidney Street, City of Man-
chester, County of Lancaster, Machinist, for the Invention of
"IMPROVEMENTS IN MACHINERY FOR DOUBLING AND WINDING COTTON AND
OTHER YARNS AND THREADS."
Sealed the 10th May 1870, and dated the 28th March 1870.
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION filed by the said Robert Smith at the
Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition and
Declaration, on the 28th March 1870, pursuant to the 9th Section
of the Patent Law Amendment Act, 1852.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, ROBERT
SMITH, of Sidney Strect, City of Manchester, County of Lancaster,
Machinist, send greeting.
WHEREAS I am in possession of an Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS
IN MACHINERY FOR DOUBLING AND WINDING COTTON AND OTHER YARNS AND
THREADS," and have petitioned Her Majesty to grant unto me, my
executors, administrators, and assigus, Her Royal Letters Patent for the

page_text: same, and have made solemn Declaration that I am the true and first
Inventor thereof.
NOW KNOW YE, that I, the said Robert Smith, do hereby declare
that the following Complete Specification, under my hand and seal,
fully describes and ascertains the nature of the said Invention, and in
what manner the same is to be performed, in and by the following
statement:-
My improvements chiefly relate to doubling and winding machines in
which two or more threads or yarns are wound on to bobbins or spools
without being twisted, and having detective apparatus to arrest the
bobbin or spool when a thread breaks or when the cop or bobbin runs
empty, as described in my Specification for which Letters Patent were
granted unto me, dated 27th October 1863, No. 2656, and consist,-
1stly. In the application of a lever or other like mechanism for
lifting the threads from contact with the roller over which the threads
pass in their course from the detective wires to the taking-up bobbin
immediately a thread breaks, and thus prevent the broken thread
lapping round the said roller.
I may observe that rollers have been previously used in such machines,
and have been rotated by the passing yarn or threads, but there was no
provision for lifting the yarn or threads off the rollers when a breakage
took place, nor to prevent the yarn lapping round the rollers, and
making waste, and the momentum of the roller caused a quantity of
slack yarn to be delivered between the roller and the taking-up bobbin.
The rollers as ordinarily constructed run upon dead centres which make
them heavy to pull round and cause an undue strain on the thread. I
apply live centres to the rollers which make them rotate easily and put
little strain upon the thread. To stop the roller when a breakage occurs
I apply a break which is attached to the lever or other like mechanism
that lifts the threads from contact with the roller.
Should the yarn or
threads be of such a nature that it is not advisable to put the strain
upon it to drive the roller I drive the roller by means of gearing or
pulleys at a speed suitable to the speed of the taking-up bobbin.
Another modification I apply by making use of two rollers one above
the other, the lower one being driven by gearing or pullies from any
convenient part of the machine, and turning the upper one by tho
friction of the surfaces, and I arrange the bearing of the upper roller so
that the said roller can be lifted from contact with lower roller by means

page_text: of the lever that lifts the yarn or threads when a breakage takes place.
Suitable provision is made to enable the attendant of the machine to
raise the upper from the lower roller when required. When the rollers
are to be rotated by the passing threads I cover them with leather,
cloth, or other suitable material which presents a rough surface. My
object in using the roller or rollers in combination with the lever con-
nected with stopping motion is to insure the thread breaking between
the roller and the detective lever cyc instead of near to the taking-up
bobbin, thus giving time for the taking-up bobbin to stop before the
broken thread reaches it. When the yarn is sufficiently strong I put
a hook for the yarn to pass through between the taking-up bobbin and
the roller. The break and stopping motion, as herein-before described,
can be applied to vertical rollers in a similar manner.
2ndly. My improvements consist in giving a peculiar motion to the
guides that distribute the threads on the bobbins. The guides are
carried upon a bar which has a reciprocating motion imparted to it by
suitable mechanism; the said bar rests upon and traverses with another
har that has the ordinary traverse motion imparted to it, the guides
thus receive or have imparted to them a combined and double motion.
This mode of working the guides lays the thread upon the bobbins in
a manner convenient to the finding of a broken thread or wrong
piccing.
3rdly. My improvements relate to winding cop bottoms, and consist
in arranging a portion of the winding drums to run slower than the
others, and in applying in combination therewith an apparatus for
regulating the speed of the cop to prevent it overrunning when the yarn.
is being wound from it. This arrangement enables the attendant to.
wind all her cop bottoms on these slow drums, and the cops can be
changed before they are so nearly wound off and finished on the slow
drums; the quick-speeded drums can in this manner do considerably
more work as the stoppages are not so frequent.
4thly. My improvements consist in an improved method of supporting
the creel bobbins in those doubling machines in which bobbins are
wound from. I provide a fixing or headstock carrying two short spindles
which enter and support each end of the bobbin; the spindles can be
made of a small diameter, and run with less friction than in the ordinary
manner.
One of the bearings of the spindles is arranged in such a

page_text: manner that the attendant of the machine can draw it back when she
wishes to take out or change a creel bobbin. When the thread used is
delicate the bobbin is prevented from overrunning by means of a break
which is brought into action by the stopping apparatus. This improve-
ment is also applicable to single winding machines in which one thread 5
only is wound; in such case the break is not required.
5thly. My improvements are applicable to doubling machines with
vertical spindles, in which case the spindles are driven by means of a
disc, and the mode of stopping the spindle is by applying a break
against the friction disc on the spindle; the break is attached to the 1
lever that latches over the setting-on handle, and has this peculiarity
that the break is brought into contact with the disc on the spindle
before the setting-on lever is unlatched, and causes the taking-up bobbin
to stop suddenly.
The mechanism for regulating the traverse guide in this machine is as 1
follows: The traverse bar is fixed upon a radial arm fixed on a shaft
which is made to vibrate by a lever that is connected to any suitable
traverse motion for the straight traverse of uniform length, but to wind
spools that are conical at each end when filled I place upon the traverse
bar an apparatus to each spool, this apparatus is composed of a lever 2
turning upon a centre; the outer end of this lever rests against the spool.
The lever forms a segment of an internal toothed wheel, and it, gcars with
a small pinion which turns upon a stud which has attached to it the
guide eye that distributes the thread upon the spool. As the thread is
wound upon the spool the diameter increases, and the arm resting
against it is turned round its centre and gives a circular motion to the
shaft with the guide eye upon it and so shortens the traverse. To wind
spools with a traverse that lengthens at one end and shortens at the
other I arrange a fixing which swings on a round arm attached to
the radial arm that gives the regular traverse; through said fixing a
rod passes with the guide at its upper end, the lower end passing through
a fixing attached to a beam. The fixing last named carries a short
shaft with a ratchet wheel at one end and a small pulley at the other; a
chain is attached to said pulley. Each downward motion of the traverse
brings the ratchet wheel in contact with a ratchet fixed to a beam and
moves it a portion of a revolution, and the pulley coils the chain round
itself, raises the guide bar, and so lengthens the traverse at one end and
shortens it at the other.

page_text: And that my Invention may be properly understood, I will proceed
to describe the two Sheets of Drawings hereunto annexed and forming
part of this Specification, the said Drawings illustrating the means I
adopt to carry my Invention into practical effect.
DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS.
Fig. I is a sectional elevation of part of a doubling machine as
constructed according to my Invention and referred to herein-before as
my first improvement.
The drum 1 drives by friction the taking-up bobbin 2, and 3 is a
roller over which the yarns or threads pass in their course to the taking-
up bobbin, and the said roller is rotated thereby, the said roller being
between the detective levers 4 and the taking-up bobbin 2. There are
as many detective levers as threads to be doubled. The lever 5 is
connected to the stopping motion, and has two arms 6 and 7, above
which the yarns or threads pass. When a thread breaks the momentum
of the roller 3 insures the breakage taking place between said roller and
one of the detective levers 4. When the detective lever 4 falls on
breakage of a strand, the lever 4 which is fixed to it comes in contact
with the projections on the revolving shaft 4, which pulls down one
end of lever 9, the other end of which lifts the lever 5, and the threads
are thereby lifted from contact with roller 3 by the two arms 6 and 7,
and at the same time the break 2 shewn in dotted lines, is brought
against the taking-up bobbin 2 and arrests its rotation. When the process
is recommenced by moving the setting-on handle 10 the lever 5 descends
and the arms 6 and 7 let the threads come in contact with the roller 3
and set it in motion. Immediately in front of a guide 11 that distributes
the thread upon the taking-up bobbin 2 is a brush 12 or like contrivance
for the purpose of preventing a broken thread lapping on the taking-up
bobbin, as the thread from its elasticity is liable to spring on to it unless
impeded by such contrivance; the attendant of the machine can also
more casily distinguish the broken thread. Attached to the lever 5 is
a break 13 that is applied to stop the roller 3 simultaneously with the
taking-up bobbin when required. When the threads or yarns are strong
I conduct them once round the roller 3 and over a suitable guide that
keeps them from overriding; this gives a greater length of thread
between the breakage and taking-up bobbin, and is therefore less likely
for the broken end to get upon the taking-up bobbin, and in conducting

page_text: the threads in this manner the arms 6 and 7 are not required but the
break 13 is used as hercin-before described. When the thread or yarn is
of such a nature that it is not advisable to put the strain upon it to
drive the roller 3 the said roller is driven by means of gearing or
pullies and belt at a speed that corresponds to that of the taking-up
bobbin; in this case the break 13 is not required.
Fig. 2 represents a front elevation of my Invention of the application
of two rollers. 144 is the bottom roller, which constantly revolves at a
speed to correspond with the taking-up bobbin. The top roller 15 rests
upon 14, and 16 is a bearing which maintains the top roller in position.
When a thread breaks the lever 5 lifts the top roller from the bottom
one, and the break 13 upon the lever 5 stops the rotation of top roller
in a similar manner to that herein-before described in reference to one
roller. The bearing 10 hinges at one end, so that the attendant can
raise it when required to position shewn in dotted lines.
Fig. 3 represents a front clevation of part of a guide bar as constructed
according to my Invention and referred to as my second improvement.
The traverse bar 17 has imparted to it the regular reciprocating
movement from end to end of taking-up bobbin. Another bar 18 rests
and moves easily upon 17 by means of the rollers 19 and 19. Upon
the drum shaft of the machine is a toothed pinion 20, which drives a
toothed wheel 22 that rotates upon a stud 23 fixed to frame of machine.
Fixed to wheel 22 is a long pinion 24 gearing into wheel 25, upon the
boss of which is a bead or thread that passes round the circumference
of said boss and works in a notch or space in fixing 26 on traverse
rod 18. The bead upon boss of wheel 25 is so shaped that as it rotates
it imparts a reciprocating rectilinear motion to rod 18 and the guides
27, 27, and 27°, which are fixed to traverse bar 18. The motions of
the traverse bars might be affected by various mechanical means that
would suggest themselves to a mechanic; it is the combination of the
movements given to the bar carrying the guides that distribute the
thread upon the bobbins that I claim as my Invention.
Fig. 4 is a sectional elevation of part of a machine as constructed
according to my Invention and herein-before referred to as my third
improvement. 28 is the drum shaft; 29 is a spur pinion keyed fast
upon it and gears into a wheel 30 on shaft 31. On the other end
of shaft 31 is a pinion gearing into wheel 32 fixed on tube 33. On said
tube are fixed drums 34, 35, 36, which drive the taking-up bobbins.

page_text: By changing the proportion of the wheels which drive the tube the
drums can be run at a speed to suit the rotation of the cop bottoms, the
other drums in machine being driven at a proper speed to draw the yarn
from the end of the cop
Fig. 5 is an elevation of the apparatus for winding the cop bottoms.
A cop bottom 37 is free to rotate in suitable bearings. A rod 38 carries
a pulley 38, and 39 is a lever, one end of which is supported by the
yarn and its other end has a break 39". When the yarn is winding
from the largest diameter of cop bottom the break 39* retards its
rotation and prevents it overrunning; when the yarn is winding from
the small diameter of cop bottom the extra tension upon the yarn raises
the lever 39 and the break 39 is lifted from the skewer, thus permitting
it to rotate freely. The spring 39' keeps the lever from springing up
too suddenly and snap the yarn. This apparatus can be applied in a
similar manner to ordinary single cop winding machines.
Fig. 6, shewn in connection with Fig. 1, represents a sectional
elevation of my fourth improvement, and applies to the creels of those
machines winding from bobbins. A headstock 40 carries two spindles
41 and 42, which support and revolve with the bobbin 43.
There are
as many headstocks as strands or threads to be doubled. A fixing 44
hinges on a pivot and is retained in position by a weight 44. A break
lever 45 has one end connected to the cord 46 attached to the stopping
apparatus of the machine. To change the bobbin the fixing 44 is
pulled back and the bobbin replaced, when, on releasing fixing 44 the
weight draws it back to the position shewn. When a breakage of a
thread takes place, or a bobbin is emptied, the bar 48 connected with
stopping apparatus advances and lets the break lever 45 bring the
break 49 in contact with the head of the bobbin and stop it. This
improvement is applicable to single winding machines, see Figs. 9 and
10, in both of which the break is not required, and the headstock being
upright or inclined the weight 4-1 is not required. Figs. 7 and 8 are
nedifications with springs substituted for the weight 41.
Fig. 11, Sheet 2, is a sectional elevation of part of a doubling
machine with vertical spindles having my improvements applied thereto,
referred to herein-before as my fifth improvement. A friction wheel 50
drives the spindle 51. The taking up bobbin is indicated by 52, and
swing bearing by 53, a drag plate 51 hinges on a stud 55, and is kept
against the bobbin by a spring 56. The starting handle is 57, and 58

page_text: the latch lever which, is raised by the detective lever 59 when a breakage
occurs. 59 is a revolving shaft with projections upon it; 60 is a spiral
spring the force of which when the lever 60 is unlatched acts upon
starting handle 57, lifts swing bearing 53, and spindle 51 from contact
with its driving disc, and so stops the motion of taking up bobbin; 61
is a lever which works on a shaft 62, on said lever is fixed a traverse
bar 63 extending from end to end of frame; 64 is a bar connected to a
suitable traverse motion. The roller 65 is driven by the passing thread,
or by gearing or pullies as herein-before described in machines having
the taking-up bobbin horizontal. The threads pass over the arms 66
and 67 as described, also in the horizontal bobbin machine. This
machine can be applied to wind bobbins or spools of three different forms.
For bobbins with ends of the same diameter requiring to be parallel I
use a regular traverse motion. For spools or bobbins having cach
successive layer shortened I use the apparatus shewn in Figs 12 and 13,
which is attached to the traverse bar 63, one to each spindle, and is
constructed as follows:-71 is a lever turning on a centre 72, and
carries a plate 73 which rests against the spool 74; a portion of this lever
forms a segment of an internal toothed wheel in gear with the pinion
75; attached to said pinion is the guide cyc 76; and 77 is a spring that
keeps the lever 71 against the spool 74. The action is as follows:-
When the spool has no thread upon it the plate 73 rests against the
empty spool, and the eye 76 will be at the greatest distance from the
shaft 62, and make its longest traverse. As the thread is wound on its
consequently increasing diameter pushes the lever 71 back, and the
internal wheel rotates the pinion 75 and guide 76 bringing the guide cyc
nearer to shaft 62 and so shortens the traverse. Fig. 14 is a side
elevation, partly in section, of part of a machine in which the traverse
shortens at one end and lengthens at the other. In both this and the
last described machine a new feature is introduced of applying a support
to the top of the bobbin instead of passing the spindle through, so that
spools may be wound with a small diameter of hole and yet be steady.
79 is a spool; 80 the upper bearing which is raised by the attendant when
changing the spool; the weight of the bearing keeps it in place, and a
feather key prevents the bearing turning; S1 is a fixing swinging on
traverse rod through which the rod 82 with guide on the top passes, 83
is a ratchet wheel on a stud or shaft S1 having a pulley 85 on the other
end to which cord 86 is fastened, the other end is attached to projection
on rod 82; 87 is ratchet on a stud fastened to a beam; SS is another

page_text: ratchet hanging on a stud S1. The guide is raised to effect the shortening
of the traverse at lower end and lengthen at upper end of spool as
follows: As traverse rod S2 descends the ratchet wheel 83 comes in
contact with ratchet S7, thus moving ratchet wheel part of a revolution
and pulley S5, which winds up the cord S6 and raises guide rod S2.
When the bobbin is full the projection 82 comes in contact and raises
lever 58 and so stops the bobbin, the operation is then complete. To
recommence the ratchet 88 is released, and the guide rod descends by its
gravity; Fig. 15 is a sectional elevation of part of a doubling machine
with vertical spindle driven by a band and is sufficiently explanatory on
reference to Fig. 11 without further description.
Having described and ascertained the nature of the said Invention,
and the manner of carrying the same into practical effect, I would have
it understood that I do not confine myself to the precise details herein-
before described and shewn, as the same may be materially modified
without departing from the principles of my Invention, what I specially
claim as novel is,-
1stly. In reference to the first part of my improvements as herein-before
described and shewn in the accompanying Drawing I claim the appli-
cation of a lever 5 or its equivalent for lifting the threads or strands
from the roller 3 when one of the threads or strands break, also the
combination of mechanical parts for arresting the revolution of the roller
3, and the taking-up bobbin when a thread or strand breaks; also I
claim giving a positive motion to said roller 3 by means of gearing, or
belt and pulley from the driving shaft or other convenient part of the
machine; also I claim the application of a second roller, substantially
in the manner herein-before described and shewn in the accompanying
Drawings.
In reference to the second part of my improvements, I claim the
mechanical combination for distributing the thread upon the bobbin, as
herein-before described and shewn in the Drawing Fig. 3.
In reference to the third part of my improvements, I claim the
combination of mechanism for winding cop bottoms, substantially in
the manner herein-before described and shewn in the Drawings Figs. 4
and 5.
In reference to the fourth part of my improvements, I claim the modes
of supporting creel bobbins by means of short spindles at each end

page_text: substantially in the manner herein-before described and shewn in the
Drawings, Figs. 6, 7, and S, and the application of the same to machines
in which the yarn is wound singly.
Lastly. I claim the general arrangement and combination of mechanical
parts for raising the threads from the roller and stopping the same, and
the application to vertical spindle winding machines, substantially in the
manner herein before described and shewn in the accompanying
Drawings, likewise the various mechanical contrivances and combinations
for varying the traverse of the guides which distribute the thread upon
the spools or bobbins, substantially in the manner herein-before described
and shown in the Drawings.
In witness whereof, I, the said Robert Smith, have hereunto set
my hand and scal, this Twenty-fourth day of March, in the year
of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and seventy.
Witness,
JOSEPH WILLCOCK,
Agent,
Bradford.
ROBERT SMITHI. (L.S.)