IMPROVED APPARATUS FOR WINDING COPS AND BOBBINS FOR USE IN THE SHUTTLES OF SEWING MACHINES
Year: 1878

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Alexander Anderson, Manager of the Singer Manufacturing
Company's Works, Glasgow, North Britain, and George Browning, of the same
Place, Tool Maker, for the Invention of "IMPROVED APPARATUS FOR WINDING
COPS AND BOBBINS FOR USE IN THE SHUTTLES OF SEWING MACHINES."
Sealed the 15th April 1879, and dated the 23rd October 1878.
"
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Alexander Anderson and
George Browning at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents on the 23rd
October 1878.
ALEXANDER ANDERSON, Manager of the Singer Manufacturing Company's Works,
Glasgow, North Britain, and GEORGE BROWNING, of the same Place, Tool Maker.
IMPROVED APPARATUS FOR WINDING COPS AND BOBBINS FOR USE IN THE
SHUTTLES OF SEWING MACHINES."
The object of the first part of this Invention is to wind cops in such a manner as
to remove the liability of the thread running into kinks as it is drawn off.
In order to give to cops the requisite consistency and yet allow of their delivering
the thread with great facility, I construct my cop winder in the following manner :--
The spindle frame I provide with a longitudinal bar which runs parallel with the
cop spindle, and serves to carry a sliding block which has a conical recess formed in
its face and tapering outwards. The block is pierced in the centre of this cone to
allow of the spindle passing through it. A slot is cut in the top of the block
parallel to the axis of the cone to permit of the thread which is to be wound into a
cop passing into the hollow cone. This thread is led down from a reel, and passed
under a pressing plate on the block, then over an oscillating arm, which acts as a
thread layer, and thence into the slot before mentioned. This thread layer is fitted
to the upper end of a rock shaft, which is mounted vertically in a bearing carried
by the sliding block. The lower end of this rock shaft is fitted with a crank
through which it receives a rocking motion from a cranked bar pivotted to the
spindle frame. This cranked bar has a projection bearing against the face of a cam
which is slowly rotated through a worm wheel and worm, the latter of which is
carried by the hollow boss of the driving pulley.
As the can rotates it will tip the crank bar outwards and thus cause it to rock
the spindle which carries the thread layer.
This rocking motion being imparted to the thread layer will cause it to lay the

page_text: thread in one direction as it is wound up by the rotating spindle, and the drag of
the thread will, as the cam ceases to act, give a back motion to the thread layer
which will thus permit the thread to be laid so as to cross the layer of coils
last formed.
In commencing to form a cop, the thread is first laid into a catch on the end of 15
the hollow boss of the driving pulley and when a suitable amount has been wound |
on to the spindle, the sliding block is moved up to enclose the coiled thread; the
coiling is then continued and by the rotation of the cop spindle the thread delivered
by the thread layer will accumulate in the conical recess of the sliding block in
the form of a cone.
10
By this accumulation of the thread in the conical recess the block will be forced i
backwards until arrested by an adjustable stop on the cop frame, at which time the
cop will be completed. Between this stop and the block the thread is now tightly
nipped and by the continuous strain put upon it the thread will break and leave
the cop free on the spindle, or the thread may be cut by means of a stationary cutter, 18
as hereafter explained with reference to bobbin winders. To remove the cop it is only
necessary to unlock the spindle from its driver and withdraw it from the cop frame.
The stop on the cop frame is made adjustable, so as to limit the back motion of
the block, and thereby gauge the length of the cop.
To regulate the diameter of the cop the cam which works the crank bar is made 20
adjustable in the line of its axis, and thus the oscillation of the thread layer with
respect to the conical recess of the block is regulated, the extreme limit of advance
towards the base of the cone determining the diameter of the cop.
A modification of this arrangement is to give the cop spindle an end way traverse
motion, the spindle advancing to increase the length of the, cop and, its motion 25
being arrested by an adjustable stop which it carries, coming like the traversing
block before mentioned into-contact with a fixed point. In this case the conical
recess consists of a shell in which the nose of the cop is formed, such conical shell
being made fast to a bracket standing up from the base frame. Mounted in a
standard of this frame is a horizontal tube carrying at one end a spur wheel of say 30
12 teeth, and at its other end a hollow cam which fits around the conical shell and
is free to rotate about it. This cam is driven by means of a band pulley keyed to
a hollow spindle which has its bearing in the cam tube, the means for transmitting
the motion from the pulley being such as to give the cam one rotation for say every 12
rotations of the pulley. To effect this a spur wheel of the same diameter as that of 35
the spur wheel on the cam tube, but having one tooth more, is made fast to the
standard before mentioned, and into these two spur wheels gears a pinion mounted |
loosely on the sides of the driving pulley. As therefore the pulley is rotated, it |
will cause its pinion to run around the fixed spur wheel and thereby drive the
wheel on the cam tube back one tooth for every twelve rotations of the driving pulley. | 40
The conical shell in which the nose of the cop is formed is slotted longitudinally to
permit of the passage of the thread (which is drawn from the bobbin thence through
a fixed eyelet) into the shell and thence to the spindle on which it is to be wound.
The thread in passing to the spindle bears against or is supported by the edge of
the slowly rotating cam, the use of which is to perform the office of the reciprocat- 45
ing arm in the first-described arrangement and lay the thread as it is wound up in
layers of coils which lie in opposite directions.
The spindle has at its forward end a catch to permit of the thread being readily
attached thereto, and it is extended rearwards to receive the adjustable stop before
mentioned for limiting the traverse of the spindle. This spindle receives its rotary 50
motion from the driving pulley, a pin on the cop spindle taking into a longitudinal
groove formed in the hollow spindle of the pulley. When the cop spindle is drawn
back so as to bring its pin clear of the groove the rotation of the cop spindle will
cease, but so soon as the pin engages with the groove the rotation will recommence.
The cop spindle receives an endway motion to permit of the longitudinal extension 55
of the cop through the accumulation of thread in the conical shell. This traverse
of the spindle is, however, regulated by lateral pressure being applied thereto.

page_text: The rear end of the spindle has a screw thread cut upon it, and below this spindle
a tumbler piece carries a half nut which is intended to take into the screw thread
when the cop is near completion. At this time the adjustable stop on the spindle
comes in contact with the tumbler piece and lifts its half nut into gear with the
screw thread; the two will now move forward together until the half nut is arrested
by the tumbler striking against a stop, at which tiine the cop will be complete. A
severance of the thread now takes place, and the cop spindle still rotating, it will
by reason of the scrow thread gearing into the now fixed half nut be run back until
it is drawn out of the cop and has disengaged itself from the groove of the pulley
spindle. To recommence winding the spindle is advanced by hand and the thread
is again connected therewith.
The second part of the Invention relates to apparatus for winding bobbins, tho
object being to provide a simple construction of mechanism which will wind on the
thread in an even and regular manner.
To ensure the regular lay of the thread, I provide a travelling thread layer, which
moving from end to end of the bobbin will lay the thread evenly thereon while a
rapid rotation is being given to the bobbin by the chuck which carries it, the outer
end of the bobbin being supported by an adjustable elastic standard.
The chuck is mounted on a spindle which is formed with a right and left handed
screw thread. This spindle turns in bearings in the frame of the bobbin winder,
and it carries a driving pulley to which motion is communicated from the fly wheel
of the sewing machine. Overriding this spindle is a saddle piece which serves to
carry the thread layer. This saddle piece is kept in place by its lower extremities
embracing the bed of the bobbin winder frame, which bed serves as a guide for
steadying it in its transverse motion.
Mounted within the sadddle on a pivot pin is a rock bar carrying at its opposite
ends a half nut, one of which is made to gear with a right handed and the other
with a left handed thread on the spindle. A tipping spring attached to tho under
side of this rock bar and bearing on the bed of the frame serves to throw one or
other of the nuts into action, and thereby to impart a to-and-fro motion to tho
thread layer. The bed is formed with two inclines which lie in the path of the
spring and at opposite extremities of its traverse.
The spring it will be understood presses one or other of the nuts into contact
with the spindle, but when the tail of the spring reaches an incline the spring will
tip the rock bar, reverse the positions of the half nuts, and cause the saddle with its
thread layer to move in an opposite direction.
The length of traverse of the thread layer is thus determined by the position
of the inclines on the bed, which inclines may be made adjustable to suit various
lengths of bobbin.
The thread layer is a rod terminating in a hook, and it is steadied by passing
through a fixed guide in the framing. The amount of thread wound on to the
bobbin gauged by a fixed knife adjustable to the diameter of the bobbin to be
wound. This kuife when the desired diameter is attained will sever the thread and
thus leave the bobbin free to be removed.
As a modification of this arrangement in which the amount of thread wound upon
the bobbin is gauged by a fixed adjustable knife, I use a hinged spring presser for
ensuring the proper lay of the thread as it is wound upon the bobbin, and guide the
thread to the bobbin by means of a pendant elastic clip, the pivot pin of which con-
stitutes at once an eye for guiding the thread to the clip and an axle for a traversing
antifriction wheel, which being free to run on a guide rod will move with the pull
of the thread, and thereby facilitate the lay of the same under the drag of the
rotating bobbin and the pressure of the clastic presser.
The bobbin will be in this case released from the winder by the withdrawal of
the bobbin spindle in the well-known manner.

page_text: SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent filed by
the said Alexander Anderson and George Browning in the Great Seal Patent
Office on the 23rd April 1879.
ALEXANDER ANDERSON, of the Singer Manufacturing Works, Glasgow, North,
Britain, and GEORGE BROWNING, of the same Place, Tool Maker. IMPROVED
APPARATUS FOR WINDING COPS AND BOBBINS FOR USE IN THE SHUTTLES OF
SEWING MACHINES."
The object of the first part of this Invention is to wind cops in such a manner as,
to remove the liability of the thread running into kinks as it is drawn off.
In order to give the cops the requisite consistency, and yet allow of their
delivering the thread with great facility, we construct our cop winder so that it)
shall lay the thread in a manner that will ensure the crossing of each layer of coils
by the next succeeding layer.
In Sheet I. of the accompanying Drawings, Fig. 1 shews in plan view our
improved cop winder; Fig. 2 is a side elevation of the same, and Fig. 3 is a cross
section taken on the line 1, 2, of Fig. 1.
In these Figures A is the frame of the cop winder fitted with bearings for a short
sleeve shaft B through which the spindle C is passed and to which it is connected
by a bayonet joint. Upon this spindle C the cop is wound, and when the cop is
complete it is removed from the winder by the withdrawal of the spindle. The
spindle frame A is provided with a longitudinal bar D, which runs parallel with
the cop spindle and serves to, carry a sliding block E, which has a conical recess
formed in its face and tapering outwards. The block is pierced in the centre of
this cone to allow of the spindle C passing through it and resting in a support
formed for it in the spindle frame. Through the top of the block E a slot el is cut
parallel to the axis of the cone to permit of the thread which is to be wound into a
cop passing into the hollow cone. This thread is led down from a reel and passed
under a pressing plate e on the block E, then over an oscillating arm F which acts
as a thread layer, and thence into the slot before mentioned. This thread layer is
fitted to the upper end of a rock shaft F1, which is mounted vertically in a bearing
carried by the sliding block E. The lower end of this rock shaft is fitted with a
crank F through which it receives a rocking motion from a cranked bar G
pivotted to lugs projecting from the back of the spindle frame and lying parallel
with the spindle C. This cranked bar has a projection g bearing against the
face of a cam G', mounted on a cross shaft G, which has its bearing in the frame A.
This cam G₁ (see the detached view, Fig. 4) is slowly rotated by a worm on the
sleeve shaft B gearing into a worm wheel g' on the cam shaft. To the shaft B is
fitted the driving pulley B', which receives rotary motion, as usual in sewing machines
from contact with the fly wheel. The cut of the face cam G (see Figures 1 and 4)
is such that for, say, two-thirds of its rotation it will press out the crank bar, and
for the remainder of its rotation it will allow the crank lever to yield to the drag
of the thread as it is wound upon the spindle C.
As the crank bar is pressed outwards it will rock the spindle F¹ which carries
the thread layer F, and thus the thread layer will be caused to lay the thread in
one direction as it is wound up by the rotating spindle. So soon however as the
cam ceases to act on the crank arm the drag of the thread will give a back motion
to the thread layer, which will thus permit the thread to be laid so as to cross the
layer of coils last formed.
"
In commencing to form a cop the thread is first laid into a catch on the end of
the hollow shaft B of the driving pulley, and when a suitable amount has been
wound on to the spindle the sliding block E is moved up to enclose the coiled
thread the coiling is then continued, and by the rotation of the cop spindle the
1

page_text: thread delivered by the thread layer will accumulate in the conical recess of the
sliding block in the form of a cone.
By this accumulation of the thread in the conical recess the block will be forced
slowly backwards until arrested by an adjustable stop H on the cop frame, at which
time the cop will be completed. Between this stop H and the block E the thread
is now tightly nipped, and by the continuous strain put upon it the thread will
break and leave the cop free on the spindle. To remove the cop it is only necessary
to unlock the spindle from its driver and withdraw it from the cop frame.
The stop H is made adjustable so as to limit the back motion of the block and
thereby guage the length of the cop.
To regulate the diameter of the cop the cam G' is made adjustable in the line of
its axis. This cam (see Fig. 4) is connected to its shaft G2 by a cross pin g¹, which
is free to play in a longitudinal slot formed in the shaft. This shaft is hollow, and
inserted into one end thereof is a coiled spring g², which is held up to the cross pin
by a screw plug g3 which is tapped into one end of the hollow shaft. The other
end of the hollow shaft is threaded to receive an adjusting screw g', which bears on
the opposite side of the cross pin to that at which the coiled spring is situate.
By turning this screw g¹ the cam may be pressed outwards or allowed to move
inwards under the pressure of the spring g, and thus the oscillation of the thread
layer with respect to the conical recess of the block is regulated, the extreme limit
of advance towards the base of the cone determining the diameter of the cop.
A modification of this arrangement is to give the cop spindle an end way traverse
motion, the spindle advancing to increase the length of the cop and its motion
being arrested by an adjustable stop which it carries, coming like the traversing
block before mentioned into contact with a fixed point.
In Sheet II. of the Drawings this arrangement of cop winder is clearly shewn,
Fig. 5 being a side elevation, and Fig. 6 a transverse section of the cop winder
taken on the line 1, 2, of Fig. 5.
In this arrangement the conical recess in which the nose of the cop is formed
consists of a shell E, made fast to a bracket standing up from the base frame A.
Mounted in a standard of this frame is a hollow horizontal shaft F¹, carrying at one
end a spur wheel f of, say, twelve teeth, and at its other end a hollow cam F which
fits around the conical shell E and is free to rotate about it. This cam is driven by
means of a band pulley B₁ keyed to a hollow spindle B which has its bearing in the
cam shaft F1, the means for transmitting the motion from the pulley being such as
to give the cam one rotation for, say, every twelve rotations of the pulley. To
effect this a spur wheel a of the same diameter as that of the spur wheel f, but
having one tooth more, is made fast to the standard before mentioned, its axis
coinciding with that of the pinion f, and into these two spur wheels gears a
pinion b, mounted loosely on a crank pin projecting from the side of the driving
pulley B¹. As therefore the pulley is rotated it will cause its pinion to run around
the fixed spur wheel and thereby drive the wheel on the cam shaft back one tooth
for every twelve rotations of the driving pulley. The conical shell in which the
nose of the cop is forined is slotted longitudinally at e, to permit of the passage of
the thread (which is drawn from the bobbin, thence through a fixed eyelet) into the
shell and thence to the spindle C on which it is to be wound. The thread in passing
to the spindle bears against or is supported by the edge of the slowly rotating
cam F, which performs the office of the reciprocating arm F in the first described
arrangement and lays the thread as it is wound up in layers of coils which lie in
opposite directions.
The spindle has at its forward end a catch to permit of the thread being readily
attached thereto, and it is extended rearwards to receive the adjustable stop H
before mentioned for limiting the traverse of the spindle. This spindle receives its
rotary motion from the driving pulley B', a pin c on the cop spindle taking into a
longitudinal groove formed in the hollow spindle B. When the cop spindle is
drawn back so as to bring its pin clear of the groove the rotation of the cop.

page_text: recommence.
The cop spindle receives an endway motion to permit of the longitudinal
extension of the cop through the accumulation of thread in the conical shell. This
-traverse of the spindle is however regulated by the lateral pressure of a spring c
applied thereto.
The rear end of the spindle has a screw thread C₁ cut upon it, and below this
spindle a tumbler piece Chinged to the base frame carries a half nut, which is
intended to take-into-the-screw-thread-when-the-cop-is-near.completion. At this time
the adjustable stop H on the spindle comes in contact with the tumbler piece C
and lifts its haif nut into gear with the screw thread; the-two will-now-move for-
ward together (the tumbler piece C sliding on its pivot pin) until the half nut is
arrested by the tumbler striking against a stop 03, at which time the cop will be
complete. A severance of the thread now takes place, and the cop spindle still
rotating it will by reason of the screw thread gearing into the now stationary half
nut be run back until it is drawn out of the cop and has disengaged itself from the
groove of the pulley spindle. To recommence winding, the spindle is advanced by
hand, and the thread is again connected therewith.
The second part of the Invention relates to apparatus for winding bobbins, the
object being to provide a simple construction of mechanism which will wind on the
thread in an even and regular manner.
To insure the regular lay of the thread we provide a travelling thread layer,
which moving from end to end of the bobbin will lay the thread evenly thereon while
a rapid rotation is being given to the bobbin by the chuck which carries it, the
outer end of the bobbin being supported by an adjustable elastic standard.
In Sheet III. of the Drawings Fig. 7 shews our improved bobbin winder in side
elevation. Fig. 8 is a plan view, and Fig. 9 is a cross section of the same taken
in the line 1, 2, of Figures 7 and 8. In these Figures A is the frame of the bobbin
winder provided with bearings for receiving a screw shaft B, on which the driving
pulley B is mounted; C is the chuck for supporting and driving the bobbin D,
such chuck being formed in the extremity of the screw shaft B.
D' is the elastic standard for carrying the outer end of the bobbin; and E is the
thread carrier for laying the thread from end to end of the bobbin.
The shaft B is formed with a right and a left handed screw thread. Overriding
this shaft is a saddle piece E', to which the thread layer E is attached. This
saddle piece is kept in place by its lower extremities embracing the bed A¹ of
the frame A, which bed serves as a guide for steadying it in its traverse motion.
Mounted within the saddle on a pivot pin e is a rock bar e¹, carrying at its
opposite ends a half nut, one of which is made to gear with a right handed and the
other with a left handed thread on the shaft B; e² is a tipping spring attached to
the under side of this rock bar and bearing on the bed of the frame, as shewn at
Fig. 7. This spring by alternately forcing up the half nuts into contact with their
respective screw threads serves to throw one or other of the nuts into action, and
thereby to impart a to-and-fro motion to the thread layer. The manner of effecting
this is as follows:-The bed A' on which the lower end of the spring trails is
formed with two inclines a, a, which lie in the path of the spring and at opposite
extremities of its traverse.
The spring it will be understood holds one or other of the nuts in contact with
the screw shaft, but when the tail of the spring reaches an incline the spring will
tip the rock bar, reverse the position of the half nuts, and cause the saddle E with
its thread layer to move in an opposite direction.
The length of traverse of the thread layer is thus determined by the position of
the inclines on the bed, which inclines may be made adjustable to suit various
lengths of bobbin.
The thread layer E is a rod terminating in a hook, and it is steadied by passing
through a fixed guide in the framing.

page_text: rock lever F of peculiar construction.
www gauged by means of a weighted
This rock lever has a finger f, which rests against the rotating chuck C, and it is
also provided with a finger f¹, which stands in front of the bobbin.
On the opposite side of the chuck to that at which the finger f is situate is a
bent arm f forming a part of the rock lever F.
This bent arm is intended to act as a stop and retain in a fixed position sleeve-
shaped cutter e with which the thread layer E is fitted. This cutter eis mounted
loosely on the thread layer and in rear of the hook in which the thread is laid, so
that its edge is presented to the thread. When the bobbin becomes filled with
thread its growing diameter will bring it into contact with the finger f', and as the
diameter of the bobbin further increases the finger f¹ will be pressed back, and the
weighted rock lever F will be tipped out of the position shown at Fig. 9, and
caused to bring forward the arm finto the path of the sleeve-shaped cutter e³.
The effect of this will be to intercept the cutter on the back traverse of the
thread layer, and the thread being drawn by the back motion of the thread
layer across the now stationary cutting edge, the thread will be cut, and the
winding of the bobbin will cease.
The bobbin may then be unshipped by pressing back the elastic standard D¹.
Sheet IV. shews another form of bobbin winder, in which the thread is laid by a
travelling thread layer, which depends for its to-and-fro motion on the drag of the
thread. Fig. 10 is a side elevation, Fig. 11 is a partial, plan view, and Fig. 12 a
cross section of this bobbin winder, the section being taken in the line 1, 2, of
Figures 10 and 11.
In these Figures A is the frame of the bobbin winder; B, the shaft carrying the
driving pulley B¹ and the chuck C; D is the bobbin, held between the chuck C
and a spring centre bolt D¹; E is a hinged spring presser for ensuring the proper
lay of the thread as it is wound upon the bobbin; F is a hinged pendent elastic
clip, the pivot pin f of which constitutes at once an eye for guiding the thread to
the clip and an axle for a traversing antifriction wheel f¹, which runs freely on a
horizontal guide rod F¹ carried by the framing A. The thread being drawn from
the pendent spring clip F and laid around the bobbin, the continued rotation of the
bobbin will have the effect of traversing the antifriction wheel f¹ (through the pull
of the thread), and thereby facilitate the lay of the same under the pressure of the
elastic presser E.
.
.If
The bobbin will be in this case released from the winder after the severance of
the thread by first locking back the spring presser (a catch being provided for the
purpose) and then withdrawing the spring centre bolt in the well known manner.
Having now set forth the nature of our Invention of Improved Apparatus for
Winding Cops and Bobbins for Use in the Shuttles of Sewing Machines," and
explained the manner of carrying the same into effect, we wish it to be understood
that under the above in part recited Letters Patent we claim,-
First. The arrangement of cop winder as described with reference to Sheet I. of
the Drawings, whereby a crossing of the coils is effected, and the amount of thread
wound upon the cop is determined by an adjustable stop, which limits the back
motion of the sliding block, and by the adjustable cam, which limits the motion of
the thread layer.
Second. The arrangement of cop winder, as described with reference to Sheet II.
of the Drawing, whereby a crossing of the coils is effected and the length of the
cop formed is regulated by the endway motion of the rotating spindle and the
rotating cam-shaped thread layer, the cop being released from its spindle by a rapid.
back motion automatically applied to such spindle.
Third. The arrangement of bobbin winder, as described with reference to Sheet
III. of the Drawings, whereby the amount of thread wound upon the bobbin is
controlled, and the thread severed automatically through the action of a lever which
is rocked on its fulcrum by the increasing diaineter of the bobbin. We also claim
the means described for giving the traverse motion to the thread layer.

page_text: Fourth. The arrangement of mechanisin above described with reference to Sheet
IV. of the Drawings for laying and spreading the thread upon the rotating
bobbin.
In witness whereof, we, the said Alexander Anderson and George Browning,
have hereunto set our hands and seals,-the-Twentieth day of April, in the
-year of our Lord One thousand-eight hundred and seventy-nine.
T