A NEW OR IMPROVED SPINDLE FOR BRAIDING AND PLAITING MACHINES
Year: 1856

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to William Frederick Spittle, of Birmingham, in the
County of Warwick, Machinist, for the Invention of "A NEW OR
IMPROVED SPINDLE FOR BRAIDING AND PLAITING MACHINES"
Sealed the 27th February 1857, and dated the 17th September 1856.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said William Frederick Spittle
at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on
the 17th September 1856.
I, WILLIAM FREDERICK SPITTLE, of Birmingham, in the County of Warwick,
Machinist, do hereby declare the nature of the said Invention for "A NEW OR
IMPROVED SPINDLE FOR BRAIDING AND PLAITING MACHINES," to be as follows:-
In the ordinary spindle used in braiding and plaiting machines, the reel or
bobbin on which the thread is wound is situated on the central shaft or rod of
the spindle, and the thread, after passing from the bobbin through holes in an
arm situated parallel to the axis, returns to the hollow axis on which the bobbin
is situated, and passes out at the top of the said hollow axis.
In my improved spindle, the reel or bobbin carrying the thread is not
situated on the central shaft or axis of the spindle, but on an arm parallel
thereto, and the thread from the bobbin passes direct to the hollow axis of
the spindle, passing out of the top of the same, the said thread making a loop

page_text: in the hollow axis, for the purpose of hanging a weight to, as is well under-
stood, the thread making a less tortuous passage than in the ordinary spindle,
and rubbing against fewer surfaces, is less subject to injury and fracture
than in the ordinary spindle. I make the top of the spindle of a separate
piece of hardened steel.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent, filed
by the said William Frederick Spittle in the Great Seal Patent Office
on the 13th March 1857.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, WILLIAM
FREDERICK SPITTLE, of Birmingham, in the County of Warwick, Machinist,
send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her Letters
Patent, bearing date the Seventeenth day of September, in the year of our
Lord One thousand eight hundred and fifty-six, in the twentieth year of Her
reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give and grant unto me,
the said William Frederick Spittle, Her special licence that I, the said
William Frederick Spittle, my executors, administrators, and assigns, or such
others as I, the said William Frederick Spittle, 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 "A NEW OR IMPROVED SPINDLE FOR BRAIDING AND PLAITING
MACHINES," upon the condition (amongst others) that I, the said William
Frederick Spittle, 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 William Frederick Spittle, do hereby
declare the nature of the said Invention, and in what manner the same is to
be performed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and by the
following statement thereof, that is to say:-

page_text: My Invention consists of the new or improved spindle for braiding and
plaiting machines, constructed in the manner herein-after particularly described
and illustrated in the accompanying Drawing. In the ordinary spindle used in
braiding and plaiting machines, the reel or bobbin upon which the thread is
wound is situate on the central shaft or rod of the spindle, and the thread, after
passing from the bobbin through holes in an arm situated parallel to the axis,
returns to the hollow axis on which the bobbin is situated, and passes out at the
top of the said hollow axis.
In my improved spindle, which is represented in side elevation in Figure 1
of the accompanying Drawing, in front elevation in Figure 2, and in vertical
section in Figure 3, the reel or bobbin a, carrying the thread, is not situated
on the central shaft or axis 6 of the spindle, but on an arm c, parallel to and
supported by the shaft or axis b. The thread d passes from the real or bobbin a,
direct to the hollow axis of the spindle, and passes out at the top of the said
spindle, as represented. The thread d passes through the ring e, Figure 3, to
which the weight f is suspended in the axis b. When the end of the thread d,
which passes out at the top of the spindle is tightened with sufficient force, the
weight and part g are raised into the positions represented in Figure 3, and
the reel or bobbin a is capable of turning, as is well understood. The hollow
weight is adjusted by means of shot placed therein, as represented at h. The
thread makes a less tortuous course in a spindle constructed according to my
Invention than in the ordinary spindle, and by rubbing against fewer surfaces
is less liable to injury or fracture than in the ordinary spindle. I prefer to
make the top of the spindle of a separate piece of hardened steel, as represented
at i in the several Figures.
Having now described the nature of my Invention, and the manner of
carrying the same into effect, I wish it to be understood that I do not limit
myself to the precise details herein described and represented, as the same may
be varied without departing from the nature of my said Invention; but I claim
as my Invention,―
Firstly, the new or improved spindle for braiding and plaiting machines
herein-before described, and illustrated in the accompanying Drawing, that is
to say, a spindle in which the reel or bobbin carrying the thread is situated
parallel to but not upon the central shaft or axis of the spindle.
Secondly, making the weights of spindles for braiding and plaiting machines
hollow, and adjusting the same by means of shot or other small weights, as
herein-before described, and illustrated in the accompanying Drawing.
Thirdly, making the top of spindles for braiding and plaiting machines of a

page_text: separate piece of hardened steel, as herein-before described, and illustrated in
the accompanying Drawing.
In witness whereof, I, the said William Frederick Spittle, have hereunto
set my hand and seal, this Twelfth day of March, in the year of ou
Lord One thousand eight hundred and fifty-seven.
Witness,
WILLIAM FREDERICK SPITTLE. (L.S.)
RICHARD SKERRETT,
Clerk to George Shaw.