AN IMPROVEMENT IN. DRIVING THE SPINDLES OF DOUBLING FRAMES
Year: 1860

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Joseph Thomas Webster, of Mansfield, in the County.
of Nottingham, Gentleman, for the Invention of "AN IMPROVEMENT IN.
DRIVING THE SPINDLES OF DOUBLING FRAMES."
Sealed the 12th April 1861, and dated the 15th October 1860.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Joseph Thomas Webster
at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on the
15th October 1860.
I, JOSEPH THOMAS WEBSTER, of Mansfield, in the County of Nottingham;
Gentleman, do hereby declare the nature of: the said Invention for "AN IM-
PROVEMENT IN DRIVING THE SPINDLES OF DOUBLING FRAMES," to be as follows:-
This improvement consists in so constructing. the spindles of doubling
frames, or machines for twisting fibrous substances or materials, that any
determined amount of twist may be given to the thread as it passes on to the
bobbin upon the spindle. This object is to be effected by driving the spindles
and bobbins separately, instead of causing the "drag" of the thread to drive
the latter, as usually practised; and the relative difference of the speeds at
which they are severally driven must be so adjusted as to give the desired.
amount of twist to the thread. The spindle and bobbin may be driven either
by cords or bands, toothed gearing, or by friction; but I prefer to use grooved
frictional gearing, as constructed by Mr. James Robertson, of Glasgow, and
now well known as "Robertson's frictional gear."

page_text: SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent, filed
by the said Joseph Thomas Webster in the Great Seal Patent Office
on the 15th April 1861.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, JOSEPH
THOMAS WEBSTER, of Mansfield, in the County of Nottingham, Gentleman,
send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her Letters
Patent, bearing date the Fifteenth day of October, in the year of our Lord
One thousand eight hundred and sixty, in the twenty-fourth year of Her reign,
did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give and grant unto me, the
said Joseph Thomas Webster, Her special licence that I, the said Joseph
Thomas Webster, my executors, administrators, and assigns, or such others as
I, the said Joseph Thomas Webster, my executors, administrators, and assigns,
should at any time agree with, and no others, from time to time and at
all times thereafter during the term therein expressed, should and lawfully
might make, use, exercise, and vend, 'within the United Kingdom of Great
Britain and Ireland, the Channel Islands, and Isle of Man, an Invention
for "AN IMPROVEMENT IN DRIVING THE SPINDLES OF DOUBLING FRAMES," upon the
condition (amongst others) that I, the said Joseph Thomas Webster, my
executors or administrators, by an instrument in writing under my, or their,
or one of their hands and seals, should particularly describe and ascertain
the nature of the said Invention, and in what manner the same was to be
performed, and cause the same to be filed in the Great Seal Patent Office
within six calendar months next and immediately after the date of the said
Letters Patent.
NOW KNOW YE, that I, the said Joseph Thomas Webster, do hereby
declare the nature of my said Invention, and in what manner the same is
to be performed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and by the
following statement in writing, and on reference to the accompanying
Drawings, that is to say:―
.
This Invention has for its object the regulation of the amount of twist
imparted to any given length of fibre as it passes to the spindle of the doubling
frame or throstle spinning frame, and also the prevention of the objectionable
loss of power which is consequent upon allowing the bobbin to drag upon the
lifting rail, as ordinarily practised.
This improvement consists in so constructing the spindles of doubling
frames or machines for twisting fibrous substances or materials that any
determined amount of twist may be given to the thread as it passes on to the

page_text: bobbin upon the spindle. This object is to be effected by driving the spindles
and bobbins separately, instead of causing the "drag" of the thread to drive
the latter, as usually practised; and the relative difference of the speeds at
which they are severally driven must be so adjusted as to give the desired
amount of twist to the thread. The spindle and bobbin may be driven either
by cords or bands, toothed gearing, or by friction; but I prefer to use grooved
frictional gearing, as constructed by Mr. James Robertson, of Glasgow, and
now well known as "Robertson's frictional gear."
:
Such being the nature and object of my said Invention for "An Improve-
ment in Driving the Spindles of Doubling Frames," I will proceed to describe
the manner in which the same is to be or may be performed or carried into
practical effect; and in order that the same may be distinctly understood, I
have annexed hereunto a Sheet of Drawings illustrative thereof, and have
marked the same with figures and letters of reference corresponding with
those in the following explanation thereof, that is to say :-
In the annexed Drawing Figures 1 and 2 represent two forms in which my.
Invention may be applied.
In Figure 1, a is the spindle rail, in which are fixed by nuts the stationary
spindles or studs 6, upon which are placed, so as to revolve freely, two frictional
wheels or cones c, d. Upon the lower cone c a long socket or boss e is
attached, upon which the wheel or cone d revolves freely, and to the upper end
of which socket is fastened the plate or washer f, of sufficient diameter to
carry the bobbin g. To the upper wheel or cone d is attached an apparatus
answering the purpose of the ordinary flyer. This consists of a plate having
two upright rods or guides h, upon which the ring is free to slide up and
down. The thread passes through a hole in the ring i and is thus guided on
to the bobbin. To effect the placing of the thread regularly over every portion
of the bobbin, the ring i is carried between the jaws k projecting from the
lifting rail l, which latter is traversed up and down by means of the ordinary
mangle wheel motion, or by any other motion ordinarily employed for lifting
the bobbin rail in such frames.
In the arrangement shown in Figure 2, a is the spindle rail, and b the
spindle, which, in this case, revolves, being driven by the lower cone or
frictional wheel c, which is made fast to it. The upper cone or wheel dis
loose upon the spindle 6, and drives the plate f which supports the bobbing by
means of two pins e, ex, the former being attached to the upper side of the
cone or wheel d, and the latter to the under side of a bush or socket, to which
the platef is attached. This socket revolves in the lifting rail l, and also
forms the upper bearing for the spindle b to turn in; h is an ordinary flyer

page_text: attached to the upper end of the spindle b. The studs or pins e, e*, must be
of a sufficient length to remain in gear during the whole traverse of the lifting
rail 7, which latter is actuated in the usual manner. It will thus be evident
that in both these arrangements the flyer h is driven by the upper cone or
wheel d, and the bobbin g by the lower cone or wheel c, and that each is
driven entirely independent of the other, so that any desired amount of twist
may be given to the thread according to the relative speeds at which the flyer
and bobbin are driven. For driving the bobbins and flyers the grooved
frictional gear made according to the Invention of Mr. Robertson is preferred,
as before stated; but I do not intend to confine myself to any particular class
of gearing, as other forms might be employed with advantage.
Having now described the nature and object of my said Invention for "An
Improvement in Driving the Spindles of Doubling Frames," together with
the manner in which the same is to be or may be performed or carried into
practical effect, I would remark in conclusion, that I claim as my Invention,
driving the spindle and bobbin, or the flyer and bobbin separately and
independently of each other by a differential motion, so regulated that
certain definite amount of twist shall be given to the thread, and the bobbin
shall take up the same at any required speed, whereby the loss of power
ordinarily consequent upon the dragging of the bobbin on the lifting rail is
obviated, without confining myself to the precise details or arrangements
shown and described, so long as the above-mentioned peculiar novel feature of
my Invention is retained.
In witness whereof, I, the said Joseph Thomas Webster, have hereunto
set my hand and seal, this Thirteenth day of April, in the year of our
Lord One thousand eight hundred and sixty-one.
Witness,
JOSEPH THOMAS WEBSTER. (L.S.)
SAMUEL BARTON, Jun.,
Brunswick Foundry,.
Derby.