IMPROVEMENTS IN SPINDLE LETTERS
Year: 1880

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to John Elce, of the City of Manchester, in the County of
Lancaster, Engineer, for an Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN SPINDLE
LETTERS PATENT to John Elce, of the City of Manchester, in the County of
"
Lancaster, Engineer, for an Invention of IMPROVEMENTS IN SPINDLE
BEARINGS Of Textile MACHINERY.”
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said John Elce at the Office
of the Commissioners of Patents on the 29th September 1880.
JOHN ELCE, of the City of Manchester, in the County of Lancaster, Engineer.
"IMPROVEMENTS IN SPINDLE BEARINGS OF TEXTILE MACHINERY."
The object of my improvements is to remedy certain defects that have hitherto
existed in what are technically known as Ashworths tubes. Owing to the limited
space that can be judiciously occupied by the structural arrangements of the
improved bearings they are all more or less weak, and consequently liable to
constant breakages, and unable to resist the wear and tear to which they are
subjected for a period sufficiently long to warrant the expense of their construction.
To remedy these defects I dispense with the tube proper, that is to say, with
that portion above the lower shoulder on which the bobbin shell bears. In the
remaining portion of the bearing I insert a steel tube, or a tube of any other
material that may have somewhat similar or better properties than steel, and I
allow this tube to project about the same length above the part in which it is
inserted as the portion dispensed with under the Ashworth system. That upper
portion of the tube which I wish to make the support or bearing of the spindle I
either bush with tubing of a suitable metal, or I form a deposit of suitable metal
and thickness in such portion by electro plating or by any other known method,
or I bore or rimer out the lower portion which I do not wish to bear on the
spindle. The upper bearing for the shell may be formed in any suitable manner,
or in some cases it may be entirely dispensed with, together with the lower bearing
or shoulder, by making the shell of drawn steel tubing instead of cast iron. These
improvements are also applicable to what is known as Masons tube or long collar
for roving frames.

page_text: SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent filed by
the said John Elce in the Great Seal Patent Office on the 26th March
1881.
JOHN ELCE, of the City of Manchester, in the County of Lancaster, Engineer.
"IMPROVEMENTS IN SPINDLE BEARINGS OF TEXTILE MACHINERY."
The object of my improvements is to remedy certain defects that have hitherto
existed in what are technically known as Ashworth's tubes, the improvements
being also applicable to other bearings of a similar description. Owing to the
limited space that can be judiciously occupied by the structural arrangements of
those bearings they are all more or less weak, and consequently liable to constant
breakages, and unable to resist the wear and tear to which they are subjected for a
period sufficiently long to justify the expense of their adoption.
To remedy these defects I dispense with the tube proper, that is to say, with
that portion above the lower shoulder or neck on which the bobbin shell bears,
and in the remaining or lower portion of the bearing that fits in the lifting rail
(which I will call the socket) I fix firmly a steel tube projecting about the same
length above the socket as the cast iron portion dispensed with, or in the case of
other bearings of such a length as to suit the length of the bobbin. That upper
portion of the tube which I wish to make the support or bearing of the spindle I
either bush with tubing of a suitable metal, such as nickel, phosphor, bronze, brass,
or the like, or I form a deposit of suitable metal and thickness in such portion of
the tube by electro plating or by any other known method. The upper external
bearing upon the steel tube for the bobbin shell may be formed in any suitable
known manner, or in some cases it may be dispensed with entirely, together with
the cast iron bearing or neck at the bottom, by making the shell of steel tubing
and providing the same internally with bushes at the top and bottom; or in some
cases the shell may be dispensed with and the bushes put into the bobbin in the
same manner as they would have been placed in the shell. I also apply my
improvements to what is known as Mason's tube or long collar for roving
frames.
further mustrates my improvements and some of its modifications.
Similar letters refer to similar parts.
Fig. 1 is a section of an Ashworth tube to which my improvements are applied.
Fig. 2 is a similar bearing but prepared for and fitted with a steel shell.
Fig. 3 is a bearing for which a short shell is used, and which is known as
Gore's tube having my improvements applied.
Fig. 4 is a long collar for roving frames.
S is the spindle working in the steel tube T fitted with the bush b, on which
the spindle S bears. The tube T is firmly fixed in the socket C either by driving
it in the bored socket C or by casting the socket C on the tube T, on which the
spiral grooves G have been cut (which grooves G are not required if the socket C
is not cast on the tube T). The socket C fits in the lifting rail R, to which it is
secured in the usual manner. L, L, and L, Figs. 1, 2, and 3, are the bobbin
shells working upon the tube T and carrying the bobbin B. L, Fig. 1 (shown
separate), being the ordinary cast iron shell bearing on the usual split spring
collar O at the top, and on the small cast iron neck n left on the socket C at the
bottom. L, Fig. 2 (also shown separate), is a shell formed of steel tubing, and
fitted with bushes b' of suitable metal at top and bottom, and it will be seen that
in this case the cast iron neck n (Fig. 1) on the top of the socket C becomes

page_text: unnecessary, and it will also be seen that if the bushes b¹ are fixed in the bobbin
the shell itself may be dispensed with. The small shoulder h at the bottom of the
cast iron shell L is not shown in Fig. 2, but it may easily be provided if required.
The shell L, Fig. 3, is usually of cast iron, but as in my improved bearing it has
to work upon steel, the shell will have to be made of brass or other suitable
material.
The construction of the roving frame bearing or long collar, Fig. 4, is similar to
those described above, a steel tube T being fixed in the cast iron socket C fitting
in the spindle rail R, which socket is prolonged upwards to form a neck n, upon
which revolves the bobbin wheel L³, which answers the purpose of a shell used in
the other cases, and carries and drives the bobbin B, which is clear of the steel
tube T, but fits closely upon the spindle S at the top in the usual way.
The
steel tube T has a bush 6 of nickel, phosphor, bronze, brass, or the like at the top,
which forms the bearing of the spindle, and can be replaced when required.
Having now described my Invention, and ascertained in what manner the same
may be performed, I declare that I do not limit myself to exact details, forms, and
proportions as shown or described for the purpose of illustration, but claim as my
Invention substantially,―
1.) The use of a steel tube fitted internally with a short bush of suitable metal
for a steel spindle to work in, which tube is fixed in a cast iron socket with or
without a cast iron neek to form a bearing for the bobbin shell, substantially as
described and for the purpose set forth.
2.) The use of a steel tube provided with suitable bushes, and with or without
external shoulder to form a bobbin shell, substantially as described and for the
purpose set forth.
In witness whereof, I, the said John Elce, have hereunto set my hand and
seal this Eighteenth day of March in the year of our Lord 1881
Witness,
A. HILDEBRANDT,
Patent Agent,
Manchester.
JOHN ELCE. (L.S.)