CERTAIN IMPROVEMENTS IN MACHINERY OR APPARATUS CALLED 'SPINNING FRAMES' AND 'ROVING FRAMES," EMPLOYED FOR SPINNING AND ROVING FLAX, Tow, HEMP, JUTE, AND OTHER FIBROUS SUBSTANCES
Year: 1859

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to John Foster, of Lancaster, in the County of Lan-
caster, Corn Merchant, for the Invention of "CERTAIN IMPROVEMENTS IN
MACHINERY OR APPARATUS CALLED 'SPINNING FRAMES' AND 'ROVING FRAMES,"
EMPLOYED FOR SPINNING AND ROVING FLAX, Tow, HEMP, JUTE, AND OTHER
FIBROUS SUBSTANCES."
29.
Sealed the 5th July 1859, and dated the 18th January 1859.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said John Foster at the
Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition,. on the 18th
January 1859.
I, JOHN FOSTER, of Lancaster, in the County of Lancaster, Corn Merchant,
do hereby declare the nature of the said Invention for "CERTAIN IMPROVE--
MENTS IN MACHINERY OR APPARATUS CALLED 'SPINNING FRAMES' AND "ROVING
FRAMES, EMPLOYED FOR SPINNING AND ROVING FLAX, Tow, HEMP, JUTE, AND
OTHER FIBROUS SUBSTANCES," to be as follows:-
This Invention is designed for the purpose of regulating the speed of the
bobbins in spinning and roving frames where friction is used, and which are
employed for spinning and roving flax, tow, jute, and other fibrous substances.
The improvements consist in an arrangement of machinery or apparatus
whereby the thread in its passage from the rollers to the bobbin is caused or
employed to regulate the friction upon the said bobbin, and thereby dispense.
with the usual cord and drag weight hitherto employed. The lower flanch of
the bobbin is either encircled by a ring larger than the flanch of the bobbin,t

page_text: or a curved or straight plate which is connection with a vertical lever
vibrating upon a pivot, and bent at right angles, or any other angle. This
horizontal portion may be furnished with a sliding weight for the purpose of
adjustment, and the end of this horizontal portion increased in width, upon
which the thread bears in its passage from the rollers to the bobbin, so that
the pressure of the thread shall remove the friction ring or plate from the
bobbin flanch, or allow pressure thereupon as required.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent, filed
by the said John Foster in the Great Seal Patent Office on the 16th
July 1859.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, JOHN.
FOSTER, of Lancaster, in the County of Lancaster, Corn Merchant, send
greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her Letters
Patent, bearing date the Eighteenth day of January, in the year of our Lord
One thousand eight hundred and fifty-nine, in the twenty-second year of Her
reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give and grant unto me,
the said John Foster, Her special licence that I, the said John Foster, my
executors, administrators, and assigns, or such others as I, the said John
Foster, my executors, administrators, and assigns, should at any time.
agree with, and no others, from time to time and at all times there-
after 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 "CERTAIN
IMPROVEMENTS IN MACHINERY OR APPARATUS CALLED SPINNING FRAMES' AND
ROVING FRAMES, EMPLOYED FOR SPINNING AND ROVING FLAX, TOW, HEMP, JUTE,
AND OTHER FIBROUS SUBSTANCES," upon the condition, amongst others, that
I, the said John Foster, by an instrument in writing under my hand
and seal, 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 John Foster, 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 follow-
ing statement and accompanying Drawings.(that is to say) :-

page_text: This Invention is designed for the purpose of regulating the speed of the
bobbins in "spinning frames" and "roving frames" where friction is used, and
which are employed for spinning and roving flax, tow, cotton, jute, and
other fibrous substances. The improvement consists in an arrangement of
machinery or apparatus whereby the thread in its passage (from the rollers to
the bobbin) is caused or employed to regulate the friction upon the said
bobbin, dispensing with the usual cord and drag weight hitherto employed on
the bobbin rail. The lower flanch of the bobbin is either encircled by a ring
larger than the flanch of the bobbin, or a curved, straight, or wedge-shaped
plate, which is in connection with a vertical lever, simple or compound,*
vibrating upon a point and bent at right or other angles. This horizontal or
inclined portion may be furnished with a sliding weight for the purpose of
adjustment, and the end of this horizontal portion increased in width upon
which the thread bears in its passage from the rollers to the bobbin, so that the
pressure of the thread shall remove friction from the bobbin flanch, and allow
pressure thereupon during the process of the bobbin filling as is required.
In order that the Invention may be better understood and explained in*
detail, I have hereunto attached a Sheet of Drawings made upon a scale of
about two inches to a foot, and having similar letters of reference marked
upon corresponding parts of the apparatus.
Fig. 1 is a side elevetion of a flax spinning frame, shewn in section, taken at
or about the middle of the machine; Fig 2 is an enlarged side view of the
apparatus for effecting and regulating the necessary friction on the flanch of
the bobbin, and Fig. 3 is a plan view of the same; Fig. 4 is a slight modifi-
cation of the vertical portion of the plate g, shewn in Fig. 2.
In Fig. 1, a, a, are the delivering rollers, from which the thread, shewn in
red line, passes to the bobbin b on the spindle c, and in its passage presses
against the end of the bent lever d, which turns or vibrates upon a stud e, and
has at its lower end a pin sliding in a slot in the vertical bar f, the said bar
being formed at right angles to and in connection with the ring or ovoid plate
g, which slides in the guides h, h, on the bobbin rail. The pressure of the
enlarged end of the bent lever d may be regulated by the sliding weight i.
The action of the apparatus, as will be readily seen, is as follows:-When the
machine is not at work the bent lever d may be thrown back, and thus release
the flanch of the bobbin from pressure; but when at work, and the weighted
levers properly adjusted, when the thread has a tendency to become too slack, the
weight i presses more or less, according to the tension of the thread, the ovoid
plate g against the bottom flanch of the bobbin, and imparts or gives out drag
or friction as the bobbin requires during the process of filling, and thus the

page_text: tension becomes equalized. The portion of the lever upon which the thread
bears may be placed above the guide plate, or the guide plate may be dispensed
with, and the lever may be used instead of the guide plate, and may be
furnished with the usual eye to receive the thread.
Having now described the nature of the said Invention, together with the
manner in which the same is to be performed, I would remark, in conclusion,
that I claim,
First, causing or effecting friction or drag upon the bobbins by means of
the above-described apparatus in that description of machinery called
"spinning frames" and "roving frames" in which drag weights are employed,
and used for spinning and roving flax, tow, cotton, hemp, jute, and other
fibrous substances.
And, secondly, I claim the novel and peculiar arrangement and construction.
of the apparatus for effecting the desired object of creating the required
friction upon the bobbin without the usual cord and drag weight, as hitherto
employed, such improvements having been herein-before described, set forth,
and fully illustrated in the Drawings attached.
In witness whereof, I; the said John Foster, have hereunto set my
hand and seal, this Thirteenth day of July, in the year of our Lord
One thousand eight hundred and fifty-nine.